Another time
by Scorpina
Summary: The time machine worked. Three event occurred that drastically changed the world. But is there a way to turn it back? Saitama doesn't know how he vanished for 8 years, and yet he finds himself in a wasteland that used to be City Z. How can this be fix? Is there anyone else who can help him?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

They were just on their way home when something went wrong. First, Street felt it, and then Knuckle. They froze as their vision began to blur, a powerful surge had been unleashed upon the world as everything in their bodies revolved. "GGGGAAAAHHHH!" they screamed in agony. Then, the brothers collapsed. Street saw his vision cut out, until alien code appeared before him in sleep mode.

{_Time line altered. Alternative history now being downloaded…}_

It was shortly after the fight between Garou and Saitama. Garou just escaped and Saitama was about to leave when somehow, Saitama himself vanished from the time line from that point. "Origins of Saitama current location, unknown." Yet, due to his disappearance, other events began to occur.

One Black Sperm managed to escape and found an underground passage to the Heroes Association, originally used as an escape route in case of an emergency before the it was built up by Metal Knight, he managed to bypass security and find the holding area of other monsters within the Heroes Association. His timing couldn't have been more prefect. The guards were summoned upstairs, the cages left on high lockdown, but a matter of disabling them was simple. He took out the power supply and unleashed all within the underground. Tiger level threats mainly, but there were some demon and a single dragon threat within. "With me, to victory! Destroy their base!" Black Sperm announced.

The heroes who usually kept to the Association were in City Z waiting for farther orders on the hostage situation, most of those who stayed behind were just entering A Class or were the lower ranked B Class heroes.

It was a slaughter.

Any and all who stood in their way were killed, Black Sperm laughed aloud as he rallied the monsters through and demanded they take it all. Those who donated vast amounts of money to the Heroes were in the building, and were killed in a bloodbath. However, Sperm had a far bigger target in mind. As the monsters kept within, he managed to get out as a massive press conference began. The kid they had taken Waganma was shown to the world as he was saved by the S Class heroes along with his father. Black Sperm took the opportunity and killed them all live on TV. He hands plunged through father and son, ripping out their organs and displaying for the world the see. "Are you looking down at me?" he demanded…

#

The world fell into chaos, the heroes pushed to the brink, as the monsters revolted and came out of hiding. There was no keeping up with them. The military was called in, and yet not even they were of much help. The heroes were pushed to the brink, many falling in battle, others refusing to fail.

The S Class was pushed to exhaustion. Many fell due to the amount of work put in. The first to fall was Class S Rank 3. Silverfang. Died in the line of duty while attempted to hold off four dragon level threats on his own.

The scene played out vividly before Street as Bang was on the periphery of passing out, he nearly didn't see the monster coming from behind him when it's arm was grabbed and thrown into another. His estranged pupil Garou came out of nowhere to help. "Watch your back old man!" he scolded.

The two managed to take down the threats, yet as the battle ended, Bang fell to his knees and collapsed. "Old man… Bang…" He rushed to his sensei's side, Bang was struggling to breath and yet, there was a smile on his wrinkled old face. His hand came up and gently patted Garou's shoulder.

"I knew… you could be a hero…" he said weakly.

His eyes rolled back, Bang went limp in Garou's arms. "Bang… Bang…. SENSEI!" he shouted. But he was gone.

Garou trembled as he held his teacher, tears followed as he braced him one last time. "I swear… I will do better…" he whispered.

Yet in that moment of weakness, Garou felt a searing pain in his chest. He had been battling it for a while yet has tried to ignore it. He refused to leave his teacher on the ground. Garou carried Bang all the way back to the dojo where Charanko waited. Once he saw his master his anger directed to the former human monster. "You actually did it!"

"NO!" Garou snapped. "He died in battle…" his voice trailed off as he turned to the only student Silverfang had. "Help be bury him."

"What…"

"Get a damn shovel and help me put him to rest!"

Charanko froze but did as he was told. Garou found an area near the dojo, it was clear and he would be able to see the city. With that, Charanko began to dig the hole until Garou deemed it good enough. With care he placed Bang within and yet he took his yellow sash from his side and placed it next to his sensei. The two filled in the hole before Garou turned back to the city. There were battles going on everywhere. "What now?" Charanko asked.

"I'm going to be the hero he knew I could become… when I am done, I will come back here… and I will train you."

"What…"

"You are the last student of his, the fact you have yet to learn everything he taught you is a crime. When I return, and when I am through with you… You will know fists of flowing water!" With that Garou rushed back into the city, he continued to fight the searing pain growing in his chest under his right side. Yet as he battled monsters, he supplemented his food with their bodies. There was no time to eat, and he could stomach monster flesh with relative ease. Yet, in doing so, he found his body changing drastically. He began to turn more into a monster once again, yet, despite it all, he continued to fight for the sake of his master and those he promised to protect…

#

Moral fell among the S Class heroes, some fell to their deaths as a result. Atomic Samurai fell two months after the loss of Silverfang. Many felt his heart wasn't into battling anymore, not after losing his dear friend. His spirits continued to drop the moment he saw his own pupils slaughtered in front of him. He battled so long he had no time to maintain his weapon. Sword after sword broke on him until his last battle. He gave way the moment he thrust into the last dragon level threat he would defeat. At the same time, he was impaled by its claw.

Tank Top Master died holding back a barrage of monsters to bide his legions time to escape. They called for reinforcements but they would not arrive in time, many of his men were already on the brink of death. There was no option. "Retreat now! The power of the Tank Top will carry you forward! GO!"

Tank Top girl told the other heroes his last words, his body was recovered but his treasured tank top was torn off.

Puri-Puri Prisoner went down in a blaze of glory as he would call it. Sacrificing himself for the pure young heroes he has kept a close eye on. His efforts were not in vein, as two heroes he saved was Stinger and Lightning Max. They were able to fall back in time, and yet somehow gained the help of one Suiryu who no longer saw heroes as pointless being. He managed to help them escape and recover Snek who was knocked out from battle. Since then, the four had become their own team, Stinger however didn't keep to the group, insisting that it wasn't his thing. Yet the three martial artists stuck together and became a well-rounded battle team.

The heroes who managed to survive banded together. Words soon spread of the fallen, many took this as a call to arms to come together now more than ever as heroes. "Metal Knight has reported Silverfang has died in battle." Amai confirmed.

"Not Bang!" protested Bad. "WHO!"

"His heart gave out according to the report. However, matters aren't helped much as he claims Garou himself was in the area. I have little doubt that piece of shit did something to him!" Amai said defiantly. "We are on the ropes, but we cannot stop now. For Bang!" he said.

The crowd agreed, they will continue on for Bang. Yet, keeping close to Amai Mask was a young hero, Shuriken Star… AKA Melee Brawler. "Mimi, remain next to me. I cannot let anything happen to you." Amai pleaded.

She nodded and agreed. "I'll follow you wherever you go," she vowed.

#

There came a battle flashing before his eyes. Metal Bat was holding off all the monsters that he could, but, a scream made him pull away. His sister was captured and the monster held her by the arm and started to pull. "ZENKO!" he screamed.

She howled in pain as the pull grew tighter and tighter. Until…

SPLAT

The monster's head was taken clean off its shoulders. Before it's body could slump to the ground, it was grabbed effortlessly, then, a demonic hand reached for the little girl, gently taking her out of the corpse's grasp.

Metal Bat froze, as did all the monsters as they witnessed Garou effortlessly consume the body. When he finished, he placed Zenko behind him before glaring at Bad, he nudged his head, silently telling him to come to his side. He did so without hesitation. With Zenko protected, Garou took it upon himself to end the legions! Bad stared as the human monster was far different since his last encounter. His body had swelled to nearly the same size as the creatures he was just battling, that statue only grew with the more he consumed. When the legions were cleared, he stood over ten feet tall now, his body bulged out in various places until new strengths were formed. His dragon like monsters bounded to him grew, his wings became stronger as did his tail.

"Why!" he heard a voice demand.

Garou turned and glared at Bad. "What do you mean… why?" he demanded.

Bad froze as he saw the razor teeth in the mouth of the human monster, his eyes glowed a crimson red as he appeared upset with the accusation. "Why help us? You were against us before… not to mention what the hell happened to you?"

Garou sneered. "A lot." He said. "I am not hunting heroes anymore. I am hunting monsters…"

"You're… sacrificing yourself…" whispered Zenko.

"What?" Bad demanded.

"You saw him, the more he eats of the monsters… the more he becomes one… he's sacrificing himself to do it, to ensure they don't harm another person… Bad!" she said in great shock. "He's a hero now!"

Bad froze to the discovery, Garou looked away rather disgusted with himself. "I… can't survive without monster meat. It's the only thing sustaining me. Yet, each time I eat. I grow… I lose… more of myself…" he whispered. "But I have to survive. I promise Bang… I promised…" he trailed off.

Bad froze to the news but nodded. "You need to go, I called for back up, and they are going to be here. You shouldn't be. Go…" he said.

Garou nodded. With a single flap of his wings he was launched into the sky and disappeared as the other heroes arrived. Amai paused when he saw the streets rather cleared. "What is this?" he demanded of Bad. "You called us here for nothing!"

Zenko was startled, however, Bad stood his ground. "I thought I was in over my head… looks like I was wrong about that. Sorry," he said.

He had to swallow his pride, he hates getting blamed for something he never did, but for the moment, it was best not to speak of Garou in front of Amai Mask. Not to mention, he now owes Garou one for saving his sister when he couldn't.

#

The battles raged on, it wasn't long until the heroes found they were able to clear three major cities of monsters. City Q, City A and City V. Measures were put into place as a new government took command. A remarkable young man stood before the masses and explained that the safe cities were for all. No matter one's wealth or privilege. All people would be accepted as the heroes worked outside of the safe cities in attempts to purge the monsters once and for all.

People came in droves to the security of walls around their new homes. The call went out to all S Class heroes and Amai Mask, they were brought to meet the new government. Much to the shock of everyone, the people running the super continent were all the same person… the staff of 50… were all the same man! "Remarkable…" Amai said yet appeared rather suspicious to it all. "I have heard of you people… You are the house of evolution are you not?

"Former house, our creator was quick to abandon the notion after an incident. However, we have come together to pool our knowledge and resources to help the world!"

"Why should we even trust you!" demanded Child Emperor.

"Because, we are the best chance you have. Our minds are created from one of the smartest in the world, even you would bow to our superior intellect…"

"Child Emperor, he does have a valid point." Child Emperor's laptop went off. He opened it up and found Metal Knight coming through. "They are the clones of Dr. Genus, his intellect is high, as great as my own. We should listen to what they offer. For they are the ones that helped design the walls of the safe cities."

"Indeed, so please, will you hear us out?"

There was a reluctance, yet a nod came from the young hero. "We are aware of the monsters more aggressive activities, we have discovered a monster by the name of Lord Orochi. Former files indicated he had been destroyed, however, we have learned recently of his revival. He has been sending the legions out to gather materials for his body. Turning people into monsters and then… using them for his own creation."

The room froze.

"Is that what has been happening?" asked Amai.

"It is, and we need to stop him at the source. We need to take down Orochi. However, this is important. We want him taken alive."

The room froze to the concept. "Alive?" asked Flash. "Why? In case you haven't realized we are down a few heroes! Watchdog man won't leave City Q. Tatsumaki has been in a vegetative state since clearing the cities of monsters, doctors don't think she will ever recover. Bang is dead, his brother died in battle a week later, Zombieman has gone missing since his last investigation, Blast hasn't even shown his face since this all happened!" he protested. "Why should we take him alive?" he demanded.

The man in charge leaned in, he bore a stern look and said. "Because, those that make his body were human, we are developing a way to change them back"

It was an awkward silence in the room. "Impossible." Said Metal Knight.

"No it is possible. He has created monster cells that turns people into monsters, we need to see if we can use that process to turn people back!"

There was a reluctant agreement as each hero was given a paper to verify the order and it was notarized by the government. Bad folded the paper up and tucked it into his jacket pocket. "We done here?" he asked.

"We are, when Orochi is found it will be all available heroes called in to take him down."

"Kay," with that, Bad walked out. He got a sick feeling in his stomach and knew he had to tell a certain someone about this.

#

There was one place he could go.

City Z was nothing more than a waste land, despite the fact the new Heroes association HQ would be in the city due to all the monster activity. He paused as he found himself at the place. There was a lot of stairs but they were nothing.

He made his way to the top when he heard someone aggressively training. Bad approached with caution as he found an older looking Charanko, he was fighting a monster!

Bad was about rush in, yet paused. This… was different. The monster was clearly capable of killing him, and yet, it was holding back quite a bit! Charanko hit the ground hard, yet he kicked his legs and was brought back up to on to his feet. "Again!" he demanded.

"Hey!" Bad called.

Charanko paused as did the creature he was fighting. He tried to hide it last minute but Bad rolled his eyes. "You ain't fighting no monster… besides, this guy looks familiar"

Charanko sighed. "Okay fine, what!" he demanded. "I got training to do, hurry it up!"

"Garou." Was all Bad said.

The creature turned to him and nudged his head towards the thick of the woods. "Follow the serpent body… got it. Thanks."

With that, Bad ventured off, deep into the forest until he found him. Yet, not even he could believe the sight before him.

Garou was huge!

He has grown into a full-blown dragon level threat… he looked like one too! His eyes opened… then the other set opened… and the other… "Shit." Were the first words out of Bad.

"**_What…_**" came the monstrous voice from the former human monster.

Bad approached fearlessly. "I need your help. Something ain't right… the new government that has taken over, they found out Lord Orochi is alive"

Garou froze to the news. "**_He is?_**"

"Yeah… he is… but the problem is, they want us to stop him, but they want him alive!" Bad said as he appeared disgusted. "I don't believe a word they say, I don't want this asshole alive any longer than he already is… Garou… I am asking you man… stop him before we have to."

Garou took in the news, he thought it over before giving a sigh. "**_Losing… mind… Cannot… cannot…_**" he paused and struggled with his words.

"I ain't asking you to eat him! Just stop him. The monster cells are coming from him! Stop Orochi, we stop the monster cell production!" Bad pleaded. "Man, I beg of you…"

He stared into the six eyes of Garou, he sighed aloud, but gave a solemn nod. "**_Stop him… stop monster cells… Orochi… dead!_**" he vowed.

#

He reappeared, Lord Orochi. The heroes were given the call to apprehend the monster king, but the order didn't sit will with many of them. Yet Amai assured them that the government knew what they were doing. They found him rampaging near one of the safe cities, on the outskirts of City Q. Just as the heroes were about to go and confront it, Garou came out of nowhere. However, he was drastically different. He stood as tall as Lord Orochi, yet he showed no signs of allegiances with the monster king. Instead, for three days and nights, the two battled. In the end, Garou overwhelmed the Monster King. In his defeat he did something drastic and devoured Lord Orochi!

"HE MUST BE STOPPED! KILL GAROU!" Amai called.

Yet, as the order was given, as quickly as he appeared, Garou ran, despite his size the speed he possessed was still unmatched by the heroes, he vanished into the cities and somehow since then has eluded them. However, something troubled Amai Mask. He had called the heroes to him and demanded to know. "Our order was to bring in Orochi alive, how could the human monster know where he was? It was as if he knew what we were intending to do…" Amai said with great anger in his voice. "Whoever has spoken this to Garou, has betrayed us all!"

Despite it all, Amai has led the heroes well, ever since he took command, there have been little casualties. It was the hero's job to fulfill the order of the government, get people into the cities and destroy any and all monsters along the way. However, the one task they asked of Amai Mask and those of his legions was to find the Monster King Orochi, but bring him alive.

It was the first mission he has failed since taking command. "What's the big deal?" demanded Metal Bat. "Why take the Monster king alive? He's dead now, he can't hurt no one!"

"Orders are orders!" Amai protested.

"It was a dumb order!" Bad snapped back.

Suspicion fell on the young S Class hero, Amai would see to it himself that he discover the truth. He knows someone tipped off Garou, and now, the human monster is stronger than his Awakened Garou state!

#

Street's vision began to clear. His eyes opened for the first time and yet he wasn't where he thought he was… in fact, he was chained up and held prisoner in a strange facility. "Okay… I don't think I was THAT drunk…" he muttered. He took in everything around him, he was surrounded by cyborgs and technology not even Alley has made. "Where am I?" he checked his left and found Knuckle suspended against the wall like he was.

"They woke!"

Peering up ahead, Street was confused to see this strange looking robot. The human brain it possessed was clear as day in its see through dome, its arms were long sharp hooks and robotic tools. Yet as Street stared at it, if he didn't know any better the thing looked to be wearing a dress! "I thought they malfunction, it appears I was wrong. Now, you, what is your name?" it asked.

"You first. You're the ones that got me tied up here."

The cyborg paused. "Very well, we are the Organization! We will destroy the world and overthrow humanity as its proper rules!"

"Uh… huh… you're wearing a dress, do you know that?"

The cyborg was rather stunned. "You are one of us aren't you? Yet you speak as if you are human…"

"I am human dipshit! Just because my body is robotic doesn't mean I ain't human still." Street began to process everything around him, all these cyborgs here are capable of great destruction, question is, how come he hasn't see them before until now. "Look, this is all a big misunderstanding. Let me and my bro go and we will forget we were ever here!" he said.

"Illogical." The cyborg replied. "Your bodies are unusual, no one not even Metal Knight is capable of creating such… perfection."

"Oh stop, you'll make me blush!" teased Street. "Look, we got to go and find our sis to make sure she's okay. My head is still swimming after that ripple effect. Whatever the hell that was…"

"You are to remain here until we can dissect you and see how you are created! You will be reprogramed and join our legions, together, we will be unstoppable!"

"Pass..." came the voice of a very disinterested Knuckle. His eyes opened as he smirked. "While you were yapping away, I already hacked your systems. See…" the chains that held them broke off. Street and Knuckle walked out of them without an issue, their captor was taken aback by their ability.

"You… you couldn't have hacked our system!" it protested.

"Oh?" Knuckle asked. He snapped his finger, the whole power supply was cut off, even the back up generators! With that, the brothers made a break for it, Knuckle knew the whole layout and guided Street out sending him telepathic signals.

Since when the hell did you learn this!? Street demanded.

Apparently we had passed out for some time, this way! by the time the power came back on, the brothers made it up and out of the organization's secret base. Yet, as they walked out into the world, they froze.

Everything was decimated!

"What… the… fuck!" demanded Knuckle. "Bro!"

"I know, I know. Something downloaded in me, an alternative history… we're in it Knuckle…"

"STOP THEM!"

"Answers later, let's get the hell out of here!" Knuckle turned and fired a power blast to the exit. It collapsed a good portion of the tunnel, hopefully biding them time. They went on the run shortly after. "We got to find Melee!"

Street agreed. "Yeah, let's go to the Dragon's keep and see if she's there!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The shaking finally stopped.

Saitama paused as he thought he stood in his own apartment, yet found himself standing in rubble instead. "Huh? How did this happen again?" Looking about the now desolate streets, he found no one in sight. "Genos… is this your new reality system? I got to admit it has improved!" he called.

But no answer came.

Genos was nowhere to be found. "Genos?" he asked aloud. It was strange not to see the odd cyborg within view. Genos would be close to Saitama in times of distress. Yet, with him gone, he knew something wasn't right. So, he began to walk about yet found the city was destroyed. There wasn't a monster in sight, yet, how did it fall? "Huh, there was no alarm, there wasn't a warning…"

Yet the more he drifted down the street, the more he began to see. He heard a commotion not too far from him. "THIS WAY!" and then saw a mad dash of heroes.

"Oh? Something's going on!" with that, he rushed after them. Perhaps he could get some answers. Saitama caught up with what appeared to be members of the tank top army. They were converging on something rather fast and were determined to catch it. "HEY! HOLD UP!" he called.

The Tank Tops froze and turned. For a moment Saitama froze as he was stared upon by half human half robotic men. "Identify yourself!" demanded Tank Top Tiger as he aimed a machine gun at him.

"Uh… you forgot who I am? You tried to publicly embarrass me after getting Class C rank 5 remember?"

They appeared to have frozen until Black Hole nodded. "Identity confirmed, Saitama, hero named the Caped Baldy former Class B rank 7…"

"Whoa, hey, I was in Class S for a short while," he protested. Yet once more he paused. "You guys sound a lot smarter than you did before."

"Identity confirmed. Team leader wishes to meet with you, you will follow us back to headquarters!" stated Tank Top Tiger.

"Okay," Saitama muttered. He found the legion surround him as they began to walk through the destroyed city. "Hey, what happened here? I mean, last time I was here I was certain City Z was still standing."

"Negative, City Z fell after the Monster Association. Strong monsters held in the Heroes Association in City A escaped. They took out and kill all top executives shortly after news conference was called and announced the rescue of one Waganma. Father and son were publicly executed by being named Black Sperm. All wealthy donators were killed off, the association fell and came under control of government and its regulations." Stated Tank Top Girl.

"Huh?"

"All remaining humans were sent to safe cities, heroes recruited to stop monsters, however recruitment and numbers were not enough. A new program came into place, powering up heroes. Cyborgs became the main source of protection and upgrades for all heroes who lacked needed skills in monster extermination." Stated Black.

"Oh… so… you're like Genos now?"

The Tank Tops froze. "Genos betrayed the heroes, joined the Organization, rouge robots and cyborgs connected to the monsters association." Said Tiger.

"Wait, Genos wouldn't do that," said Saitama. But he began to think it over. "But if he did, why would be do it?"

"Currently, we are seeking out any and all survivors. Sources dictate that there is still a powerful legion of monsters within this city, they have taken what people they can for reasons unknown. We are to rescue them and transport all to the safe cities."

"Makes sense…" Saitama muttered as he looked about the cities. "Still, none of this appears to connect. I mean… what's the hell is going on?"

"We were in pursuit of two individuals wanted by the government. They without a doubt the most advance cyborgs we have seen or encountered. They are wanted for testing. Reports indicated they were taken by the Organization recently, but we just had a sighting of them now," said Tank Top girl. "But our priority is you. Team Leader is insisting upon it."

It wasn't that far of a walk to go. In fact, the meeting place was in the old Heroes Association HQ in City Z. However it appeared to be far more advance before, let alone the only standing structure in the city that hasn't reduced to rubble yet. With a shrug, Saitama walked in as the Tank Tops went back out into the broken and fallen world. Saitama barely got through the door when he was found by the so called Team Leader.

"Where on earth have you been!?"

He looked into the eyes of a war torn Amai Mask. His clothing no longer designer look to say the least. He wore tattered and dust covered pants, worked in army boots and a torn sleeved top. "Whoa… fell on hard times or something?" Saitama asked.

Amai laughed it off. "Glad to see you still have a sense of humor! Come, we must get you to meet the others. I am certain we will have to ask for your strength soon enough. But tell me, where have you been all these years!?"

"Years?" Saitama asked. "I haven't been anywhere. I was at home one moment, next thing I knew everyone looked blurry and then… the world turned to shit." He explained.

Amai forced a laugh. "Well then, permit me to catch you up on the recent events…"

"Sweet, darling, we need to talk!"

Saitama smiled as he saw a familiar face. "Hey Melee" he said.

She paused oddly, and laughed. "No one has called me that in years!" yet a small bit of confusion came over her. "How did you know my name? Who are you?"

"Huh? Melee, you have Genos and I over once a week for hot pot, you know after saving your husband, Garou."

She burst out laughing. "GAROU! You… YOU! HAHAHA!"

Even Amai began to laugh aloud. "Oh, that is rich, don't ever change Saitama!" he said and patted his shoulder. "Mimi is my wife!"

"Mimi?" he muttered as Melee made her way to Amai and kissed him passionately. "But, you got together with Garou… where are your kids? They will clear this up!"

"Kids?" Amai demanded as Melee began to shy away.

"Perhaps… I'll come back later…" and took her leave.

The question upset Amai. "Don't you dare bring up children in front of her. She cannot have them!" he protested.

"That I know is wrong. Last I checked, she had 8…"

"Saitama, whatever has happened to you must have taken its toll on your brain. Come, rest for a while and I will explain what I can."

Things were just getting weirder and weirder for Saitama, as much as he hated to admit it, he would like to try and find Genos and perhaps get everything sorted out.

#

Meanwhile…

"SHIT!"

"Seriously what the hell just happened!?"

Street and Knuckle were at a loss. The world wasn't what they remembered. Street was about to catch his brother up on the history when they were spotted by the Tank Top Army. Since they, they were on the run, trying to avoid them until they knew and understood what was going in. When they got distracted, Street froze at the sight. "Saitama?" he whispered.

"Huh?" Knuckle demanded.

"Saitama! Whoa… From what I was told… or downloaded, whatever! Saitama vanished after his fight with Garou. Then, monsters that were held captive in the heroes Association broke free and killed all the executives in blood fashion. He association fell, and now there are mere safe cities for people to be taken to while the surviving heroes are taking down and out the monsters…" Street paused. "If that's the case, how the hell did the world turn to shit in 8 years?"

Knuckle paused as he contended with a headache. He just got the download of everything. "Wait… if the timeline changed… why the hell are we still here!" he demanded. "Bro, if Melee and Garou never met…"

"I know, I know… I am trying to digest this too…"

'Answer' came the voice in Street's head. 'Due to the technology used, it is immune to the effects of other technology used by the same device and creator. There is a time flux compositor within core to prevent disappearance if time line is altered or damaged.'

"Goddamn it." Growled Street.

"I got the update too… son of a bitch… which means we are the only ones who know this is wrong?"

"No, Saitama has shown up again. I guess the bastard is too strong to be completely erased from a timeline to say the least," said Street. "We got to find him and see what he knows…"

Suddenly, Street's sensors gave out a warning. He ducked back just far enough as a laser was fired at his head! The organization regrouped and have targeted them.

"Son of a bitch!" hissed Street. "We got to move!"

The tried to use the wasteland to their advantage, too many rocks and broke down buildings to shoot at to say the least. Yet, as they ran, Street sensed someone following them from above. He peered up just once and saw a figure launching themselves from one rooftop to the other with grappling devices. "Someone from Attack on Titan here too?" he asked.

"Later, keep going. Better still." Knuckle paused as he turned and fired off a few fire blasts. He struck three of the robots but more were coming.

The brothers rounded a corner, yet paused to the dead end. "Screw it." Growled Street as he began to power up his arms. "Let's take these assholes out!" The brothers stood at the ready, they watched as the shadow of the cyborgs began to appear, but, just as they did. Something else struck!

There was a brief struggle as the figure that followed them from the rooftops swooped down and struck! It used its metal tethers and trapped the cyborgs to the wall, then…

KABOOM!

Smoke and the stench of burning oil followed, the mysterious person appeared at the end of the alleyway. Their face covered in a dark hood, their face hidden under a bandana and eyes shielded with sunglasses. It was a young teenage boy according to Street's scanners. He stared at them oddly as they powered down. "Thanks for the help." Knuckle called. "You okay kid?"

He gave but a nod before approaching them, he peered down yet with a kick of his foot, revealed a sewer drain. "Follow me," he said, and took the plunge.

There was no other choice. Street and Knuckle took the storage drain and barely fit down into it. From there, their mysterious guide led them but kept silent.

They crawled through the sewers of City Z until they came to an underground labyrinth. There were entrances every which way they looked. Street was trying to decipher all of them when the kid spoke. "We should be safe to speak now, my friend will be glad to meet you."

"Thanks for the help back there kid… who are you?"

Granted he was no kid. A young teenager in fact, he took off his hood, half of his black hair was shaved. He removed the bandana and took off his long jacket. He was strong in appearance and wore two swords on his back. Yet smiled. "Tareo." He said. "I've been helping others like me escape from the surface world. It's not safe anymore. Instead, I bring them down here where they will be protected. He has been very kind to keep everyone safe from the so called heroes above."

"Okay you are going to have to sit down and explain all of this to us kid. But, whose he?" asked Knuckle.

His smile only grew. "Wait and see and please, keep an opened mind." With that, the kid led the way. Through countless mazes, crumbling structures and pathways, the teen didn't lose his cool or sense of direction. He must have known these paths inside and out to know where to get from one point to another. It wasn't long until Street began to register the depth. They were nearly 10,000 feet from the surface. "You live this far down?" he asked.

Tareo nodded. "It's the only way, if not, they will find us and take us away to the so called 'safe cities' but they aren't safe." He explained.

Deeper they went until the teen paused and nodded. "You need to stand perfectly still for a moment, I have to explain things."

The brothers nodded and hung back as Tareo walked forward. Yet through the darkness, Street saw them. Glowing red and black eyes of monsters, all of them aiming at this kid! Yet, there was something familiar about them. The monsters came lunging out at him, the kid wasn't the least bit scared! "Ojisan!" he called out.

Instantly, the creatures stopped.

Some mere inches before striking, but they stopped. "Ojisan, I found these two being chased after not only the Tank Top Army but the Organization as well. They appear to be confused on the matter of this world. I think they can help us."

The monsters exchanged odd looks between each other, until a nod came from the largest dragon. With that, they retreated back. Tareo turned. "You can follow me again, it's safe now."

"This is getting creepy…" Knuckle muttered under his breath.

Street agreed. Yet as they entered the tunnel, they came out to the other side and saw people! There were lights to make up for the sunshine, there were children laughing and playing and everyone appeared… happy in a sense. "Kid, why are you here? What's going on?" Street asked.

"For that, you need to meet Ojisan. Follow me."

He took them down on the right side of the cavern. This place was blocked off with old police tape, Tareo turned and said. "Remember what I mentioned before about being opened minded. Keep that in mind. Also, I can speak with him. No one else really can since they don't understand him." The brothers however found their heads swimming.

Street felt something in his mind, as if he was trying to comprehend everything that's happened, and digest what has occurred. Knuckle was in the same amount of discomfort as he was. "You getting a headache too?" he asked. "Is something getting downloaded?"

"I don't know…" suddenly they stopped as Tareo did, his head stared up towards this massive hole in the wall. It wasn't like all the other holes the brothers have seen. It was smooth to the touch, made specifically for who or whatever lived in there. "OJISAN! I BROUGHT THEM TO MEET YOU!" he called. His voice offered a little echo until the walls and floor began to tremble.

Street froze as he emerged from the darkness. Six glowing crimson eyes, hair made of long sharp and jagged horns, his face covered in sharp looking scales. But he knew that face.

How could he not!

"Garou?" asked Street.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Saitama couldn't make sense of anything.

This world was just too different, too bleak to exist. "What the hell happened that made this occur?" he asked himself. "I really need to find Genos and see what's going on."

He was sitting in what appeared to be the cafeteria. The food was something left to be desired. It was rationed among the heroes, he was given it on account of courtesy of Amai Mask. Yet as he tried to eat his bowl of what appeared to be a very sorry looking soup. "I miss Alley's Association and the food…" Before he could take another spoonful of the sorry soup. Someone sat at his table. Peering up, he stared at Melee Brawler. However, there was something cold and distant about her. "You got some nerve." She said.

"Huh?"

"I've been hearing from the others, you stopped Garou but came short in killing him. After he escaped, you vanished. What's wrong, did Garou knock your balls off or something?" she demanded.

"Look, I don't even know what's happened here. I mean none of this should be happening at all!" Saitama explained. "You should be with Garou and your house of kids. Not to mention helping Snek, Max and Suiryu…"

SLAP

He didn't even feel the strike, however Melee harmed herself more than him. "Don't you dare speak those names here!"

Saitama paused. "Okay… why?"

"My God, how big of an idiot are you?" she demanded. "Come with me…"

"But the soup… then again… you know what forget the soup." Melee led him down a long and narrow hallway. Until she came to a single room abuzz with technology. It was the most advance tech Saitama has seen since his arrival. "Metal Knight, Emperor. We got an idiot here that needs something explained to him!"

As Saitama looked to the two, he froze. Child Emperor was not a kid, but a young man… in a mechanical body. Metal Knight was nothing more than a head mounted into a computer. "Oh… who is this?" Metal Knight asked.

"Class B hero who stopped Garou's monster rampage, but not Garou himself. You happy now? Look at what he's done!" stated Emperor

"Wait… he did all of this? How?" asked Saitama.

Emp sighed. "When you vanished, there was a meeting held at the heroes Association, a press conference as they announced the safe return of an executive's son. At the same time, both places were attack. The kid that the S Class worked so hard to bring back… was killed live on TV before millions of people along with his father. Powerful monsters then attacked the executives at the Heroes Association, we were duped to say the least! We didn't get there in time, a lot of us were tired from the last battle." Emp then sighed. "We kept fighting, a lot of good heroes were killed in that time frame. It went into military law. The government tried to do it their way and failed to say the least. The heroes that survived banded together to do what could be done until a new government established itself. They offered to make heroes powerful and to preserve mankind in safe cities. We have been going through the cities doing just that, getting the people out and into quarantine zones, away from monsters…" He paused.

"Lord Orochi wasn't fully dead either. Somehow he regenerated and came back. We were ordered by the new government to take him alive, and yet, Garou came back, and became a far more hideous monster than ever before. The battle went on for three days. In the end, Garou won… and he devoured the monster king before going into hiding. Since then, we have been hunting him. We know he is going to amass a new army to launch against us!" he proclaimed.

Saitama thought it over. "No, I don't think he would." He said in a deadpan expression. "Had it been Garou going back to his old ways, he would have known how tired the heroes were and would have killed you then and there right?" he asked.

Child Emperor froze to the tone. "Are you saying Garou isn't the enemy!" he demanded.

"Well… yeah." Saitama said. "Again, if he were, you would all have been killed ages ago, right?" he said. But then, he paused. "So… what's happened to Snek, Suiryu and Max?"

"I'll address this one." Metal Knight announced. "They were one of our best squads, Snek was Intel and spying, Max recon and retrieval, Suiryu the strength and power. The three worked exceptionally well and were requested by Amai Mask to make a round at one of the safe cities to ensure the citizens were okay and those we have found were escorted there. However, before they could make it to the city, they were attacked and force fed monster cells."

"What… but that happened before. I mean they already were monster's weren't they?"

"What are you talking about?" demanded Melee. "The three were some of the best martial artists in the world, they were never monsters until this point!"

"Which is why we are going to need your strength, Saitama." Said Child Emperor. "We need you… to take them down."

Saitama thought it over. "If I refuse?"

"Then the lives lost will be on your head." Growled Melee. "The three need to be stopped, they have taken cities too close to the safe zones. If they get any closer, all within will more than likely die. Snek has take control of City F, he devours anything that tries to attack him."

"Seems about right…"

"Max has taken hold of City J, using the water as a conductor and electrics any threats."

"Yeah that would work…"

"Suiryu has been patrolling the boarders near City G and City K. He attacks anything or anyone who comes near him. They are monsters that must be taken out!" stated Metal Knight.

"So… no one has tried to cure them?" Saitama asked.

"Seriously?" demanded Melee. "Who would have the time let alone the patience to try and cure monster cells!"

"Well your daughter, Alley did."

"Shut your damn mouth!"

"What, it's true," he protested. "In fact, she and Suiryu are husband and wife…"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" she roared. "How… dare… excuse me!" she stormed out of the room as Child Emperor shook his head to him.

"She can't have children, she's was told by the best doctor at the time she couldn't. Amai took her there himself to verify, he wanted a family just as much as her."

"So… are she and Amai… married?"

There was an odd exchanged look between Child Emperor and Metal Knight. "Depends on who you ask." Emperor said. "Because of this, she has allowed Amai to be with other women, since she couldn't give him a family. He hasn't had any children to my knowledge…"

"Oh," Saitama then shrugged his shoulders to it all. "Well, perhaps I'll get started, let me go see Snek and see what I can do…"

"Bring back his body. We can break it down for materials." Called Metal Knight.

"His body?" Saitama muttered, but he didn't say anything more as he walked out of the room. This was defiantly wrong. Perhaps he needs to speak with the monsters he is suppose to kill…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The human monster… but now… the monster king, Garou.

He towered over them, and appeared a lot more menacing than ever before. Knuckle was at a loss for words at first until he shouted. "SHIT! What happened man!"

Low growled came from him, deep wall rattling sounds that were not aggressive, but his only form of speech. "I can explain everything to them, you rest up." Tareo announced. Garou nodded to the kid as he retreated back into the darkness.

"Ojisan didn't want to become this, it wasn't his choice." Tareo explained.

It happened shortly after the monster association attack. Garou had taken out some of the more powerful monsters, one including named Golden Sperm, however one of the lived and managed to escape. He was unaware of the other strong monsters that were locked away in the depths of City A and within the Heroes association itself. When the attack happened, Garou was in the mountains, meditating on what he tried to become and where to go from there. Yet, when he returned to the cities, he found it in chaos. Stronger monsters appeared out of nowhere and were attacking. The heroes were all doing what they could, the one he happened to come by was his former Master Bang. He held off four level dragon threats alone when Garou came in and helped. They just finished off the last of the monsters when it happened.

"Master Bang's… heart gave out on him after the fight. He died in Garou's arms." Tareo explained. "Something within him snapped, from what he told me, he felt the same surge he did before when he first became a monster, but this was different. Far different than before." Garou went on a rampage of his own, but he was destroying the monsters, and then devouring them. It wasn't long until he began to turn, becoming bigger and stronger as more of them emerged. Even the monster king Orochi who was long presumed dead somehow managed to heal himself and appear once more.

"The S Class was tired out, going non stop day in and out from fight to fight, battle to battle. When Orochi appeared, Tatsumaki tried to take him out, but she worked herself into exhaustion. She fell into a vegetative state and hasn't come out since. Garou emerged, equaling the size of Orochi, even growing bigger than him. The two fought a battle for three days. In the end, Garou won and to ensure Orochi didn't return, he ate him."

Knuckle froze as his headache began to return. Suddenly, new information came before his eyes, as if he was witnessing everything that happened and what made the world what it was. Since then, there has been a hunt for Garou. Most of the S Class have either been killed or are no longer in active service. Yet, it was the safe cities that had his attention. "Kid, what do you know about these safe cities. Why aren't any of you there?"

Tareo sighed as he took off his sunglasses. The brothers froze as his eyes were red, and his lower jaw appeared to be pale white flesh. "Because, I escaped from it. The cities aren't safe cities… they are testing sites."

He recalled the moment he arrived there with his mother. Within the massive walls that were supposedly monster proof, they were greeted by a bustling utopia of sorts. There were lavishing homes, buildings, stores and everything appeared peaceful to say the least. The new governor introduced himself as Dr. Quantum and insisted on everyone getting a check up before entering. Other so called Safe Cities were ran by his brothers who all looked remarkably similar to him.

"I remember the check up. They took blood samples and swabbed my mouth. I didn't think much of it until a few days later when they asked me to return. They told my mother I had a rare condition and must be kept in isolation for the safety of those around me. She believed it, after all, failure to comply meant getting evicted. So… I went back… I never saw my mother again after that."

"Goddamn it kid… what did they do to you?" whispered Street.

He smirked. "You know, it's funny. I always wanted to be a hero… I just didn't think they would do something like this for me to become one. They took me because of these genetic markers I had, I apparently shared them with an S Class hero name Zombieman. So, they began to take samples of my flesh and compared it to him… it didn't help that they kept Zombieman in a room near by. I could hear him scream day in and day out as they kept taking his body, little by little. You see, there is a limit to his regeneration. But they didn't care. Why should they when he considered to be immortal, right?"

"They were taking parts out of you… and putting bits of him in its place…"

"Bingo" Tareo announced. "After, they would force me to train. I was pushed in endurance through hell and back again, Military kind of practices and torments. Then, they would purposely wound me. Taking scalpels and slicing into my arms, legs, back and chest. I bled a lot in that time. The healing process was slow at first until the next day, when they do it all again. More of my body was taken away in chunks…" he explained as he tossed the long black trench coat he held to the side and rolled up his shirt. His whole body was covered in patches of greyish white and human toned flesh. "The more they put Zombieman into me… until eventually they got what they wanted…" He paused. "They began cutting off my arms and legs and testing the regeneration. For a week, I was nothing more than a torso, until I was able to recover… then, they tested on others like me…"

"Kid…" whispered Knuckle. "How did you get out?"

He smiled. "A proud moment if I do say so. Despite the consistent drills they bore into you, they did so in attempt to break the mind and spirit. However that consistency allowed me to see everything up close. I remembered how Ojisan would study his opponents and used the same method to figure a way out. I knew every crack, every drain, entrance, exit, guards and those who posed a threat. I began to plan in my mind after the seventh year on getting out. After all, I was doing this for so long, no one at the facilities believed I would attempt to escape now would I? No, I watched others try to make a run for it, saw a lot of good people be killed. I saw others become monsters…" he whispered.

"Others?"

"Real Heroes. Snek, Max and Suiryu. They came to the safe city one day. Apparently they were sent by Amai Mask to bring the people they have 'saved' into it, but when they found this, they refused to cooperate and tried to inform the public. Snek went as far as getting those they brought to the city out again and tried to get them to run. He managed to bide them time by arguing with the man in charge, Quantum who not just ran the city but this establishment, he demanded answers to it all. However none were given, he refused to allow the idea to get pass him, Max and Suiryu were in agreement to expose the place… they never made it out the front gate. I watched them get drugged and dragged into the last lab down the hall, that's where I saw people enter, and many never left. They did something to them… when I found out that they became the monsters that they are, I knew the truth. This government doesn't care about the people, the safe cities were not what they were. They were cages to keep the lab rats in!"

"What happened to the three?" asked Street.

Tareo sighed. "They were turned using a modified formula like monster cells, yet it controlled how far they turned. When they finished their transformation, the three were unleashed and used to lure people into the safe cities. It's strange, despite what they became, I feel they are still somewhat in control of themselves but not completely. But since then, the so called 'heroes' have been trying to hunt them down. They want them dead. If they become coherent enough, they could tell the world what is really going on. Question is, I don't think anything can or would be done. It's the word of three monsters against the world!" He began to walk. "I wouldn't have gotten out if it weren't for them either being turning…" he paused "I shouldn't have said all of this in front of Ojisan, he needs his rest."

Knuckle kept turning back. "How did you two find each other?"

Tareo smiled. "The day I escaped… It just so happens they were trying to subdue Snek. He fought tooth and nail to what they were doing to him. Despite the rapid transformation he endured, somehow, he was able to use his body and lashed open many people's containment rooms and then, when he escaped, he barreled through the wall. I made a run for it then and there, I didn't go alone. I took as many people as I could with me, including Zombieman. I carried him out on my back, he only had his upper body the poor bastard. Out of fifty of us… only twenty made it out alive. We escaped through the sewers and out of the safe city. Those of us, who knew how to fight, did so to ensure safe passage for others. We managed to get to City Z, when we ran into the Tank Top army. They were going to force us back. They had no free will of their own or could make their own choices… that's when the ground below shattered. The twenty of us fell into the depths and darkness, yet we were caught by these monsters. Panic came over everyone until we found them lowering us to the ground and I saw him… I knew it then and there, it was Garou, and he remembered me too."

Despite the Monster association nest being ripped up and out of the ground, there were far more layers to it and different areas that one could hide. "Garou took us in without hesitation. When he realized who I was, he began taking in more and more people. He has never turned anyone away, our supplies are limited, but we rather live as we are than become lab rats!"

"No shit, I don't blame you. Problem we got is this never should have happened!"

"I've been meaning to ask… who are you two?"

"The name is Knuckle. Knuckle Brawler, this here is my twin Street Brawler."

Tareo smirked. "Be serious. I know every hero there was, I kept all the guides and I know for a fact that the Brawlers of city B were killed in a monster attack years ago! Only the sister survived."

"She… she's still alive?" asked Street.

"Yeah, the unofficial wife of Amai Mask as the others like to say. She's been at his side ever since that happened. Despite her claiming to be just that, Amai has stated she can't have children of her own. Which is why he bangs any woman he finds worthy and attractive enough on the side."

"I'm going to break his face!" growled Knuckle, but then paused. "Wait… she shouldn't be with him. I mean, our sister… she married Garou!"

Tareo burst out laughing. "HER! She's as bad as Amai Mask when it comes to what is 'elegant' and beautiful. She would love to see Ojisan dead as much as him!"

The brothers froze. "But… she loves him… we know she does, I mean. We're her brothers. We've seen their kids!"

"Kids? Melee Brawler can't have kids. Amai Mask even said so"

"Well, that soon to be toothless idol is wrong!" snapped Street. "Look, kid, whatever we can do to help you. We will, but right now, we need to reset this goddamn timeline. It's too post apocalyptic for our liking."

Tareo nodded in agreement. He paused for a moment as he turned to the brothers. "If you are truly Brawlers, can you prove it? Let alone prove this world isn't right in your eyes. I mean what can you possibly…" Knuckle extended his hands, the skin suddenly pulled back and revealed his robotic arms, yet, in the center of his palm a gentle light came from it and a hologram appeared. It was one he just took recently of the family. Tareo paused as he stared into it, "Ojisan… and he looks so happy… that's Melee! Whoa… wait… who are all these…"

"His children." Street explained. He began to point them out and then said their names. When the image vanished, the kid was a believer. "Okay… let's see Zombieman. Maybe he can point you in the right direction…"

#

Knuckle froze.

Street was no better as they were taken into another tunnel. This must be their medical ward; there were a few supplies and equipment, but one resident. Knuckle stared at a half man in a chair, smoking away on a cigarette. "Hey… who the hell are you?"

"Zombieman?" asked Street.

"Yeah, you know me, so who the hell are you? Why are you here?" he demanded.

"Now, now, no need to be rude 66"

Knuckle turned and saw what appeared to be Genus. Yet the moment Genus stared upon them, he froze. "What… on earth…" he whispered. Somehow he knew that very moment that they were not what they appeared to be. He began to examine their arms oddly enough, before feeling the flesh with his own hands. "This… is remarkable! Who and what are you!?" he asked with great fascination.

"You want the long story or short one?" asked Street.

"Whatever will answer this properly."

Street sighed. "We're Brawlers, Street and Knuckle. We died in a monster attack yet were cloned back to life. Only to be killed again by one of your clones who tried to kill our sister and her mate at the time. But we came back once more, thanks to an alien of all things, used the most advance equipment on his ship to make our bodies and an alien slime that apparently devoured our bodies and the poison that was slowly killing us. The slime takes form of whatever it ate last… which was us, so it fit around the robotic suit needless to say. Our brain is still active original from the cloning process mind you… and then, this shit happened. Someone messed with the timeline and yet, we're unaffected by it!"

There were blank stares directed at the brothers. Genus however blinked a few times oddly before he began to make sense of it. "Perhaps the time line was disrupted using the same technology that made your bodies. That and your creator must have a fail safe in place. If not, you would have vanished like everything else. I mean, Aliens must have some sort of distorter of time and space in order to get through one galaxy to another… but how did one get installed into you?"

"Whatever man, all we want to do is fix this and get everyone's lives back on track! What the hell happened to Zombieman? Shouldn't he have regenerated by now?" asked Knuckle

Genus sighed. "Apparently they given him an inhibitor, he is able to regenerate so far but the rest of the healing progress become stagnate to say the least. At the moment he has recovered about 54% of his body, but it's become a very long and slow process." He explained. "Now then, what is it that you said? You want to get everyone's lives back on track?"

"Our sister is suppose to be Garou's wife. They have a bunch of kids together, and now… they are on opposite ends of the spectrum…" suddenly, Knuckle paused. His head began to hurt a little, but then, something came to mind. "Disruption of time and space requires two elements, One is to remove a person of interest that set the timeline forward, another is an incident that is suppose to happen but never did and creating an incident that happened but never should have occurred." He said aloud. He shook his head clear after that. "Damn, I sound boring when I talk like that!"

"But you made a discovery. They removed someone from a key moment in time. Needless to say it wasn't you now was it."

"No… it was the Caped Baldy!" said Tareo. "He's vanished from my hero handbook after the latest update was made!"

"Saitama…" whispered Zombieman. "But wait, he has to be completely removed from the time line, I heard a rumor that he's back!"

"Saitama is here!" Street stated. "Perhaps he's just that strong, he cannot be removed completely, but those few years turned this place to shit!"

"One point, now the event that should have happened but never did. Your sister and Garou, correct?"

"Yeah, the two met shortly after the Monster Association incident. Garou went back to Bang's dojo before the infection took hold. He was turning into a monster again from the inside out, but it was a lot slower of a process." Said Knuckle. "The event that happened but never should, the executives getting killed, never took place to say the least. In our time line anyways."

"So… we have to break one… which means… we need your sister to fall in love with Garou," said Genus.

Zombieman forced a laugh. "Good luck with that! She's gaga over Amai Mask!"

"Because he's the only man she has really ever known that isn't family… So, we need to get her away from him. Perhaps show her what's really going on…" Street paused. "Say kid, Snek, Suiryu and Max are still alive right?"

"Yeah, but they have been acting crazy ever since they were turned, like madness has taken over them. Anyone that gets near them dies." He explained. "Snek took out a good chunk of heroes a while ago, Max has been guarding his city with great vengeance. Suiryu will fight anything that moves,"

The brothers began to think. "Our best bet to talk to is Snek. He's the more level headed one out of the three in a sense. Max, I think we can easily sway… Suiryu… that's going to be a toss up." Said Street.

"Wait, you are seriously going to risk your lives trying to speak with them? Are you insane!" demanded Zombieman.

"Right now, we need allies and those with power, the three alone sound like they can hold their own and help if push comes to shove, convincing them to join us is another matter. Despite this so called madness you speak of that has taken their minds. I think they are still in there somewhere. It's just finding it. Besides, you like this time line? We don't, our sis can do A LOT better than Amai Mask!" stated Knuckle. "Shit, I sound like a nerd"

"Shut up it's not bad sounding smart once and a while, especially from you." Snickered Street. "Come on. Let's go to City F and find Snek."

"He won't be hard to find to say the least…" muttered Zombieman. "You two ought to be careful as well. Not only do you have the Heroes after you, but the government and organization too!"

"Yeah, yeah this ain't our first rodeo on this. Let's go bro," said Knuckle.

"Do you need me to guide you?" asked Tareo.

"Nah, just tell us where they ripped up the old monster association and ensure we are far enough from you guys to fly out of here and not draw attention." Said Street.

Tareo nodded as he took the lead, yet along the way, Knuckle peered out to the people that were underground. Someone caught his eye rather quickly, he gave a brief nudge to his brother and hinted for him to look to his right. Street peered from the corner of his eye. "If that won't convince him to help us, nothing will." He whispered.

Street nodded in agreement.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Saitama wondered his way through the barren and desolated cities. It all appeared the same one place after another. Monster ran wild, yet there were hardly any people to be seen. "I wonder where everyone went to? I mean, they couldn't all have been killed, could they?" he continued to walk until he began to take notice of something that clung to the buildings. A thin substance, almost like a tattered grocery bag caught in a tree, yet this stuff was everywhere, it couldn't be plastic. Saitama peered down at some of it and took some in hand. "Skin? No… scales?" he muttered.

The more he looked about the more he found of these discarded scales, and they only grew bigger, longer and tougher. They covered the buildings like spiderwebs. "Someone is getting big…" Saitama thought.

"Whoa! Saitama!"

"Huh?" he turned as the Brawler brother's dropped from the sky, they just powered down as a look of joy and relief came over their faces. "Dude! Man, I am SO glad to see you right now. Look, shit's gone down and we need to change it back!"

"Oh, so this isn't suppose to happen?"

"God no!" yelled Street. "Look, we need to find a way of getting Garou and sis hooked up. We think that's the key as stupid as it sounds. We're in an alternative time line, they never met, fell in love and had kids. Part of the reason why this is messed up and if we don't get them hooked up, this place stays likes this. No more hot pot at the house, no more sales. NOTHING!"

"So, we get them together, you think this will get fixed?" Suddenly Saitama was concerned. "Wait, did you say no more hot pot? That is an issue. Okay, let's do this, but first… I was asked to stop Snek…"

"Whoa… just a moment." Said Knuckle as he grabbed on to his shoulder. "You need the full story. It ain't going to be twenty words or less either." He explained everything as basic and as quickly as he could. Yet when it was all said and done, Knuckle paused. "Goddamn it, my rambling brought him to us!"

"Brought who…" suddenly they were surrounded. A massive wall of scales came in around them.

Snek!

However, he was far more monster than man. His body was massive, he grew into a dragon level threat serpent. Judging by his size alone, he probably could take up a good chunk of the city! "Snek! Hold off, just a moment, we need to talk!" Knuckle called.

Yet he appeared crazed, his eyes wide with madness as he hissed aloud at them, but then, he tossed his head from side to side, as if he tried to shake something off. "Something's on him, it's controlling him," said Street. He began to power up his arm. "Mind if I get this one guys?"

"Go ahead, I was going to punch him."

With that, Street made the charge in his hand, but he waited. Snek however glared down and lunged at the three. When Street's hand suddenly lifted and he sent out a powerful shock wave! Small microchips burst off the side of Snek's head, he roared aloud in pain as he held his temples in agony, but then, he breathed heavily, and the madness began to dissipate from his face. "Who… what… YOU!" he growled.

He stood over them, glaring down at the three. "Let me guess, heroes came to finish me off huh? After everything I did and this is how they thank me!" he roared.

"Snek… please, listen to us. We ain't heroes. We are not with them!" protested Knuckle. "But we need your help man, you got to back us up on this… please"

He sneered and turned his nose up at them. "What the hell makes you think I won't eat you here and now!"

"One, we're more machine than flesh, second, our skin is a slime, third, you know what he's capable of." Street said as he nudged towards Saitama.

He sneered at the comments. They were all true. "Leave me alone, why would I help you anyways, there's nothing in this for me." He muttered and began to back off. As he turned his back, Knuckle called out to him.

"What about your son!"

Instantly he froze. Snek slowly turned around and glared at him. "What did you say?" he said in a seething tone.

Knuckle stepped forward. "Your son…" he said slowly. "You have a kid! Look, this may sound stupid to you, but none of this ever happens! The cities aren't destroyed, you're still a hero. We can fix it, but we need help!"

Saitama watched as the serpent Snek turned, he glared down the strange Brawler and looked him dead in the eyes. "Prove it!" he demanded. "Prove to me…"

His hand reached out, the palm opened and he showed the hologram from earlier, yet with a flick of the wrist, it brought up another image of Snek, and his children. "In our timeline… despite the fact you became a half serpent monster… you're held in the highest regards as a hero. People look up to you. And in our reality. Not only do you have a human son, but you have four very strong and very smart little serpents." He clenched his palm taking the image away as Snek had yet to gain a moment to savor it. "Help us… get our lives back. We can fix this but we need you as back up. Can we count on you if needed?" he asked.

There was a look of distrust on the former A Class hero, he snorted aggressively towards Knuckle. "I'll consider it. Besides, by the looks of it, that reality is no better than this one!" He said and began to slither off.

"Whoa, he changed a lot more than before… what happened to him in this world?" asked Saitama.

"Found out the so called safe cities weren't safe. They are merely testing facilities using the last of the humans on the super continent." Said Street. "So we got to keep moving, I think he will help if push comes to shove. Let's go see Max…"

"Wait," Saitama said. "This is going to sound stupid and all, but… can you help me… I want to find Genos."

The brothers turned to each other but gave a nod. "Sure, in fact, I am picking up his signal… he's sent out a distress call…"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The call came just a few miles away. Street was quick to read it. "Danger, cover blown, force to kill, need back up," he said aloud.

"Force to kill? So he hasn't harmed anyone innocent yet, has he?" Saitama asked, but there was a hint of worry in his voice.

"We'll get there soon enough and find out!" They ran through the abandoned city until the signal was at its highest point. They kept hidden but found Genos standing over the hero, King.

King was on his knees, yet the king engine was hit into high gear! "What are you waiting for Genos! Prove your loyalty, kill him!" he was ordered by another cyborg.

His hand began to power up, he placed it inches before King's head until Saitama emurge!

"Shit should have told him to wait…" muttered Street.

"Genos? What are you doing?"

A stunned look came over the young cyborg, his arm dropped, as he appeared amazed. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Master?" he whispered. "Master, is that really you!?"

"Yeah, what the hell are you doing with these tin cans huh?"

"Master… I can explain…"

"He is spy!"

"KILL HIM!" the other robots called.

"Oh for the love of…" muttered Knuckle. He rushed out yet set a pulse of power towards the robots. Many broke down then and there, the cyborgs went into an electric shock and collapsed, sadly, Genos got caught up in it. "Damn it Saitama, you can't just walk out like that without a proper plan!" he protested. His sights set on Genos first. Knuckle reached down and detached his right pinkie finger, oddly enough he jammed it into Genos's ear! "Okay this may sting a moment…"

"What…"

ZAP

Knuckle was knocked back a little but shook it off. He then nodded with satisfaction as he took his finger out of Genos's ear. "Okay, we're good!"

"Did he have something recording?" asked Street.

Knuckle smirked. "Not anymore!"

"Wait… did you kill Genos?!"

"NO!" Knuckle snapped. "I am going to kill these tin cans thought…"

Street emerged as he watched his brother smash in the heads and bodies of the Organization robots. King however kept on his knees. "Sa… Saitama?" he whispered.

"Hey King, you got a lot…"

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH!? I HAD TO BE A HERO SINCE YOU WERE GONE! NOW… NOW… NOW…" He stammered. Yet Street also noticed King had since wet his pants.

"I see that hasn't changed the least bit…" Saitama muttered.

"King… what the hell were you doing out here?" Street asked.

He took a moment to regain himself, just as Genos recovered. "System restored…" he announced. Genos then looked to Saitama. "Master… you came back! Was this all a test for me?"

"Uh…."

"Genos," said Knuckle. "Do you know who we are?"

Genos stared at him oddly, perhaps doing an initial scan before stating. "You are the ones the Organization has been looking for, the most advance cyborgs of this world."

"So no," muttered Street. "Okay, long story short, we need help. Can you assist us?"

"Help? Is master helping you?"

"Pretty much, I mean I am in a world without hot pot. This is a fate worst than death. These two think they got it figured out, but we need to get Melee Brawler hooked up with Garou somehow…"

"Amai's wife?" he asked bewildered. "Why would having her be with Garou fix anything?"

"Not enough time to explain it, but know that if we get those two hooked up, we can reset this whole damn thing!" said Knuckle. "You in or what?"

"Does Amai Mask know?"

"God no!" protested the brothers. "We can't let him know, no one can know! Which is why I severed your connection to the heroes association when you blacked out there…"

"Whether or not the heroes have figured out Saitama is on our side or if they are going to jump the gun, is going to be the main concern now," muttered Street, but he paused as his sights set on King. "King, I think it's your time to shine!"

"Wh… what do I do?" King asked. "I mean…"

"As far as they are concerned you are not with us King, go back if you want, you ain't going to be safe either way. Or you do what you can to help us fix this time line. You help us, the sooner you go back to your video games."

His eyes widened. "What do I need to do!? Also, does anyone have a change of pants?"

#

They were called to the outskirts of City Z.

Amai Mask and Melee were surveying the area after reports of a high-powered pulse went through. "Emperor maybe losing his touch…" Amai muttered.

He turned to Melee but found her oddly distant. "Mimi?"

"What if we tried again?" she asked. "I mean… the doctor could be wrong, it was so long ago…"

"We spoke of this," Amai protested. "No matter how hard we try, we are not going to have a family, it won't happen." He said to her gently. "Mimi, we need to move on from this. Beside, we still have people to save."

"I guess…"

She paused when she heard the shriek of a woman. "Someone needs help!" She rushed off as Amai tried to call her back, but it was no use. Melee was ran like the wind towards the sound of the scream. She found a small family, a woman and two children being cornered by a ravenous looking monster. Its drool alone was disturbing, but it won't be for much longer. Reaching into her clothing, she took out her shurikens. Her strikes had to be perfect!

One managed to embed into the arm of the beast as it reached for a child, the other came into it's eye and for suffering purposes, she managed to embed one into the left side of it's face. The beast recoiled in pain before setting its sights on her. "Come on asshole! Come and get me!" she called.

The monster roared. Pissed off by the blood she took from him, it began to stamp the ground hard.

Melee froze as the earth trembled under foot, however it wasn't the only thing that she took notice. The ground began to sink

"MIMI!" called Amai.

"STAND BACK! THE GROUND IS…"

The earth shifted and cracked, she felt the ground sink until a massive sink hole opened. The monster the first to notice and managed to back away. However it was too close to the family, it smirked victoriously as it refocused on the young family. She wasn't going to let it have the satisfaction.

She risked it all, running across the faulty earth as the monster reached for them once more. This time she took out her kunai each bounded with a strong rope and took aim. She managed to embed it into the monster's leg and wrench him back from the family.

Just as the ground gave way.

Melee was the first to fall in, but she made certain the monster came with her. The family however couldn't get out in time and began to drop into the depths. Looking down, she saw no bottom, this fall will kill her… it will kill them too… but not today.

She took four of her kunai out and managed to snag the family into one. And then another. With them tied up, she threw them to the wall. There was a wall! 'Thank God!' she thought. The family was pinned in place as the last two were used to secure them there until help arrived.

She could only smile after that. There was nothing left in her possession to save herself from the drop.

At least, she will go down a hero.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

They made their way onward into City J.

Despite how it looked, the city appeared to be standing more than anything. "Huh considering everywhere else is a wasteland. Why does this look so pristine?" asked Saitama.

Knuckle and Street did a scan of the city. "It's long since been abandoned, there are a few life forms here however, and they are few and far between… Whoa… you got that Knuckle?" asked Street.

"Yep, power surge heading out way!"

King took cover behind Saitama, Genos powered up and yet Street nor Knuckle stood at the ready for a fight. The sky above appeared to have darkened as a vein of lightning came overhead.

CRASH

The ground split before them, as a surging monster appeared. His body was far bulkier than what Street could recall, his hair longer and came down and around his body. Baring his fangs and four powerful tentacles, stood Lighting Max!

"Nice light show, can you do that again?" asked Saitama.

Max growled as he stared down the intruders.

"Hold it Max!"

Suddenly, Max settled himself as he turned to face the voice. Street saw him appear. A very muscular, grizzly looking Stinger came into view. "Now… I know of you, but don't know exactly why you are here…"

"Stinger!?" asked King. "We… we thought you were killed when you went to confront Max!"

"Killed? Don't be stupid, Max is my friend, he wouldn't kill me!" he protested.

"Why… why didn't you come back?"

Stinger told King what happened, when he went to confront Max, he found his friend was not hostile or anything towards him. Instead, he was calm and understood what became of him. However when he told the truth about the so called 'safe cities' Stinger decided to fake his death and side with Max. "We've been moving people around here and there. Some remained with us for safety, others claim there was a bigger establishment in City Z of all places."

Knuckle approached Max, looked him dead in the eyes and asked. "Are you okay?"

Max was a lot calmer than before. "I manage." He whispered. "I feel terrible I couldn't help Snek or Suiryu."

"We got to Snek, but he isn't in the mood to help us." Street explained. "But Max, Stinger, can you? We're going to stop all of this. NONE of this should have happened"

"How do you know? For that matter, who are you?" asked Max.

"Street Brawler, that there is my brother Knuckle Brawler."

The two heroes paused. Even King froze. "Wait, Brawlers? They died years ago!" protested King. "Even I knew that!"

Knuckle rolled his eyes. "Well we're cyborgs okay! Long story short. Also our sister, Melee, is still alive and she's the key to solving this, we got to get her and Garou together!"

"Wait, what?" demanded Stinger. "I don't know if this is some sort of a joke, how will this fix everything?"

"For every action there is a reaction, former rule of science, and the same goes for this situation, events that shouldn't have happened, happened, but if we can correct one of these events we can reset this damn timeline. Two are impossible since we cannot send Saitama back in time. The other is saving the executives that were killed, the only option is to get Melee and Garou together!" said Street. "It's the only shot we got, if not, enjoy this dystopia!"

Silence befell the two heroes, Max turned to Stinger and gave but a nod. "Fine, we'll help. Question is, what are we helping you with?"

"Yeah, that's the thing, don't know just yet…" Knuckle however went to his left arm, with the skin rolled back he tapped the outer part as two small disks popped up. He tossed one to Max and the other to Stinger. "This will keep you in connection with Street and I, it's a direct line, no other heroes can get to it. We will call you when needed, okay?"

Max nodded, as did Stinger. "Now, we're going to see Suiryu…"

"Wait!" Max protested. "You need to know, he's not in his right state of mind. He went nuts after his transformation."

"Huh? What do you mean, nuts?" asked Street.

"Well, it's how he turned out… You see, he doesn't really look anything like himself anymore. His went crazy when no girl would give him the time of day. Then again every cute girl he approached ran off screaming…" said Max. "Since then, he's been bitter, he patrols between the cities and fights anyone or anything that moves for something to do. I doubt he is going to help you."

"Thanks for the heads up," said Street.

"Wait, you're still going to go?" demanded King.

"Yep," announced Knuckle. "We got to, we need numbers."

"What if he tears you apart?"

"He can try!" Knuckle laughed. "Come on, we're wasting time. I want to get the hell out of here…"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Melee woke.

At first she thought she was dead. God only knows how far she fell from the surface, but the fact remained, she was breathing, she could feel the earth under her. So… she wasn't dead! Slowly easing herself up off the ground, she looked about. The place was pitch black, not a speck of light could be seen and yet, she still wondered how she survived the fall. Staring upward, the hole was a far ways away, if anything it appeared nothing more than a small speck, like a star in the night sky. "Where the hell am I?" she said aloud.

"Lousy bitch!"

She froze, that was a deep growl of the monster she was fighting. "You cost me a meal! How dare you! You heroes don't even know that monsters got to eat too!"

She slowly reached to the ground for some rocks, it was all she could do to arm herself and keep her senses on high alert. She kept her breaths short and shallow as she heard the monster move about. "I know she fell down here too, I can smell her! At least, I'll have decent hero meat to feed off of until I get back to the surface…"

She could feel it draw closer, yet couldn't make the move just yet. Reacting too soon, it would allow it to know where she is. Too late and it's game over! Still, she kept herself at the ready. The stones near by shifted as the snort of the monster was heard just behind her.

Then, it went silent.

Melee froze, knowing not to trust the quite.

"THERE!" the monster cheered. She felt it's breath across her arm, she ducked down just in the nick of time as Melee felt it brush against her as it stumbled over itself. She just avoided the strike, but now, she was back to square one again… until the room lit up.

She froze as somehow a light source filled the walls, in fact they were coming from within the tunnels, like a fire beacon. But now, the monster had a good view of her. He licked his lips with anticipation before lunging. Melee tried to move, but a sharp pain went through her leg! 'It's broken!' her mind screamed. She couldn't bring herself to move even if she tried. All she could do was hold on to the largest rock she had and bash the bastard the moment she gets the chance! Yet, before it could strike, a serpent like dragon lurched out of the tunnel, striking the beast down before swallowing it alive!

"Shit, shit, shit!" she cursed. The monster she faced was no worst than a tiger threat, yet the one that just ate it was at least a dragon! She looked about and found the tunnels were full of them, they were the very things giving off the beacon of light. But now, there was nowhere for her to run or hide.

She also didn't notice how much blood she lost either.

The world began to spin, Melee teetered over and fell into the earth…

#

"So, how's she looking doc?"

"Sprained ankle, nothing serious, some blood loss, but she is recovering quite quickly. It's rather impressive…"

Her eyes slowly opened as Melee look in the room. There was a man she knew, at least, she thought she did. "Huh? Doc?" she muttered.

"Genus actually, the original." He explained.

Her eyes shifted to the right, there she froze to the S Class hero. "Zombieman? Wait, you went missing in action!"

"According to who?" he demanded as he took out a smoke. "Melee Brawler, am I right?"

"Well, people call me, Mimi…"

"Here, it's Melee." Zombieman stated. "Now then, how the hell did you get all the way down here?"

"Down here?" she muttered. "I don't remember much. I was trying to save a young family as a monster was about to eat them…"

"Yes, we are aware, the family is with us now safe and sound." Genus explained.

"But the monster! There's something bigger than that down here, it… it ate it!"

"No shit…" Zombieman said without a hint of worry. "You don't need to worry about that thing, he's on our side."

"He?" she asked. "What are you talking about? Are you telling me you live with monsters!?" she demanded.

"Quite frankly dear, I believe you are the one living with them on the surface. There's much to explain. Can you walk?" Genus asked.

Melee slowly sat herself up, with care she brought her legs over the bed and dared to put weight on one of them. A small tinge of pain went through, but it wasn't as bad as before. "Yeah, I'll manage." She said.

"Good, come with me then." Genus led her out of a run down tunnel, yet Melee was amazed to the medical equipment they had. Yet as they ventured into a larger part of the cavern, she froze.

"People…" she whispered. Nearly half a city's worth of people were living down here! "I can call for help, we'll get everyone out…"

"No, you won't be. We want to be here. In fact, the family you saved were not just avoiding that monster… but you so called heroes as well."

She froze to his tone. So called?

"What do you mean? We're saving people and bringing them to the safe cities!" she protested.

"No, you are sentencing many to death. The so-called safe cities are nothing more than fancy cages to keep people in for medical testing done by my clones. They are forcing evolution on to people, you heroes don't see it since you don't live there. Only a certain few knew the truth at the time, and I do believe you know what became of them…"

Melee paused to his tone. "What are you talking about? There have been no heroes who made it to the safe cities. I know, Amai tells me everything," she protested.

"Does he?" Genus asked inquisitively.

He continued on and showed her how they have been living down in the depths. Genus had created a whole crop of veggies that grow in darkness. They need a little light upon harvesting and can keep fresh for a few months. He then showed her the small tunnel that they educate the children. However the teacher surprised her. "Isn't that…"

"Indeed, Zenko, sister of Metal Bat."

Melee paused, she remembered Amai telling her that Metal Bat broke the hero code. He gave secret and sensitive information to an enemy force. He paid with his life for it, Zenko was assumed to have vanished into the wastelands. Yet, even the details of that event were sketchy to her. As she took in this underground city, she couldn't help but notice how happy the people were. Even the family she saved earlier were crying tears of joy that they 'made it'.

Yet, when people began to notice her, the smiles vanished. Fear and anger began to appear on their faces. "What are you doing here!" one man shouted.

"You need to leave!" scolded a woman.

"Wait, I'm a hero! I helped save that family!" Melee protested.

The woman was reluctant to speak, however she did so. "It's true, however, even if you had saved us from the monster, we would have still ran from you and Amai Mask. We want NOTHING to do with you!"

Melee felt as if she were stabbed in the back. She saved their lives and yet this is the thanks she gets? The people began to get more vocal about her being there. It grew louder as many stated she should be killed or she would tell Amai and the Heroes where everyone was.

"ENOUGH!" came the voice of a stern teenager.

The people fell silent, they backed away from Melee as the teen approached. "Ojisan wants to see you." He said.

The people fell into whispers, as Melee was curious. "Ojisan?" she asked.

"Best not to keep him waiting." Said Genus. "You better go,"

She merely nodded her head as she followed this strange teenager. "I'm sorry, but who are you?" she asked.

"Tareo, but back in the safe city, I was named Project 477."

"Project…" Melee whispered. "What do you mean, Project? Safe cities aren't doing experiments on people!"

Tareo paused. "You would know?" he demanded. "Do you really know what happened to Snek, Max and Suiryu? I do, since I was there. Amai sent them to the safe city to bring all the people you guys 'saved' from monsters. When in reality, they were found out what was happening, they tried to put a stop to it. Bet you didn't know Max tried to contact Amai and inform him what happened huh? He got through, but no action was taken. What became of them… was their punishment, and to be used to scare people to the safe cities."

"That… that can't be true!" she protested. "Snek was like a father to me!"

"Yeah, he acted like one too when he learned what was happening to the people… It's a shame he paid the price for it. Now look at him, seen nothing more than a monster." Tareo said offhandedly.

They traveled deeper into the underground as it were, until he paused to a section that was blocked with police tape of all things. "This way." He said gently.

Melee froze for a moment, she could sense something near by, something massive. However Tareo showed no fear. Swallowing her pride, she moved forward, granted at a slower place until they came to a massive tunnel. Tareo stood at the mouth of it before calling in. "OJISAN!"

The ground trembled under her feet, the walls rattled as dust and rock began to fall out of placed. She froze as six massive eyes red eyes glowed from the darkness, she saw the face before anything else, but knew right away who it was. "Garou?" she whispered.

He came completely out of the tunnel, which surprised Tareo. "You never come out this far! Special occasion or something?" he teased.

Yet Garou stared down at her, she captivated him.

Melee froze, shaking in fear and yet she could tell by the look on his face he wouldn't harm her. He had multiple chances of doing so, and yet she remains standing. "Did… did you save me from the fall?" she asked of him.

He growled and turned away as if he didn't care. Tareo however answered. "He did. Then he went back to get the family you saved, he saw it all."

"Why… did you save me? If you knew who I was," she asked.

He began to reposition himself until he sat down, making the world shake as he did. But with the way he sat, made Melee wonder why. He kept one leg out and yet bent the other as if he tried to appear rather casual. Growls were all that came out of him until… "**_Saw… you try…"_**

Tareo froze. "Ojisan… You can talk!"

He appeared to struggle, and yet he tried to speak properly. "**_Saved them… sacrificed self… saved them…_**" was all he could muster.

Tareo however stared at Melee. "He hasn't spoke this well since this became his form. After he consumed Lord Orochi, Garou hasn't been able to talk much."

She heard about that, the three-day battle that destroyed a city. Amai told her it was a power struggle between Garou and Orochi, fighting for the title of King of the monsters. She wanted to ask him about it, she has heard one side of the story but not his. Amai always said Garou sought more power, and figured that is why he challenged the former king of the monsters to battle and ate him in victory. But if that was the case, he would be at the surface, laying waste to the land and controlling it wouldn't he? Swallowing her fear, she stepped forward. "Garou… why did you battle Lord Orochi for three days? What was the purpose of it?"

There came a glare from him, he leaned down and came within inches of Melee! Deep aggressive growling came out of him, until he back off, but he bared his fangs afterwards. "Did… I just offend him?"

"Oh yeah," Tareo said. "You assumed he fought Orochi to become what he is. No, it wasn't the case. He saw the world changing and how the government became something far different. He knew those in charge were from the house of evolution, Garou only knew that they wanted Orochi alive. He came to the conclusion why later… Metal Bat gave him the information so no one could fulfill the order. That's the reason why he was killed, in case you were wondering…"

The Hero code he broke, he shared classified information to Garou who was still a wanted man. Metal Bat risked his life for that? "Why did Metal Bat do such a thing?"

Tareo sighed. "The thing is, the new people in charge wanted Orochi alive. They were going to use him in their experiments, especially with the monster cells he could produce. The classified information given to Metal Bat stated as such. The S Class were given the order. So, Garou beat them to it, taking Orochi out first before they could. No S class hero was going to get in the way of the two fighting. He ate him so nothing was left for them to use and test upon people." Tareo paused as he looked up to Garou. "He knew if he devoured the King of the monsters, his transformation would be permanent and devastating… he will never be human again. However, did it for the greater good. Because of that, Garou became the hunted by the government. It's why he stays down here."

Melee froze to it all, her whole hero career is nothing but a lie?!

"Metal Bat…"

Garou growled lowly before his eyes shifted to Melee. "What did he say?" she demanded.

"He said, who enforces the rules among the heroes?"

Her heart stopped in her chest.

"Amai…" she whispered.

Tareo nodded. "Look Obachan," he said. "You may not like what we have to say, you may not even agree to anything said here. But, I have spoken with Garou, he is reluctant to let you return to the surface, however he knows it can cause more harm than good denying you, your freedom. If you do wish to return, Genus will clear your mind of everything here. You wouldn't recall a single moment, not even the truth you just learned. Or, you are welcomed to say here. You chose to stay… you can't go back."

"Wait, Obachan?!" Melee demanded.

Only to hear a deep chuck escape from the monster Garou.

"The choice is yours, take your time to think about it, for now. If you do decide to leave, it's best you try and not sneak your way out. I laid a few traps here and there…" warned Tareo.

Melee froze but nodded, she would remain here and decide for herself if what she sees is truly what it is. Besides, she has no doubt Amai is looking for her right now. He has to, right?

#

On the surface.

Amai froze.

He watched Melee get swallowed up by the hole, and the family that fell in with her and the monster. "Damn it!" he protested and got on the phone. "Emp, I need a trace on Mimi's phone…"

"What happened?"

"She's fallen, the earth gave way and next thing I knew she was gone… I don't think she is going to survive but the hole and the depth of it, it's not right."

There was silence on the other end until he heard a computer processing it all. "The signal is lost," he explained. "It's only strong for the first 2,000 feet below ground… you don't think…"

"No, I know. We may have found a hidden hideout!" Amai said and smiled. "Mimi's sacrifice won't be in vein!"

"We will round up the heroes…"

"Negative, tell everyone to meet back at HQ, we will go over plans then. If we are in luck, we maybe in for the biggest catch of them all. We may have found Garou at long last!"

"So we are not going to search for Mimi?"

"Mimi would have wanted it this way," he said. "I'll be back within the hour." Amai hung up his phone shortly after. "So Garou, is the rock you've been hiding under?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"SHIT, WILL YOU JUST SIT DOWN FOR A MOMENT!"

It wasn't an easy encounter to say the least. As all the others have said, the moment one walks into the territory of Suiryu, he comes in for battle. Strange thing is, he is nothing like their timeline.

Suiryu grew into a massive dragon Level threat monster, worthy of one monster named Gouketsu; yet there were hardly any of his own features to be seen. His hair into long, sharp horns, his is body swelled up as his chest displayed these odd ridged scales. His feet and hands covered in thick plated scales with talons to match. His tail long and firm, also covered in spiky horns. His elbows protruded a long barb at the tip, his face was more demonic than anything.

Knuckle has been trying to get him to calm down for the past twenty minutes, but all Suiryu wanted to do was fight. "FOR FUCK SAKE CALM DOWN ASSHOLE AND HEAR US OUT!" he roared as he landed a good shot to his face. Suiryu stumbled back a ways as he felt blood ooze from his lip. The smile only grew, as he charged once again, coming back for more.

"I got it."

Saitama suddenly stepped in front of Knuckle, his fist clenched as he pulled back his arm. A look of panic came over Suiryu as the punch was thrown, and yet, Saitama held it back just enough so he wouldn't strike him down. Suiryu however was stunned, so much so he fell back and sat there in disbelief. Realizing he was inches from certain death.

"Now, will you listen!" Knuckle demanded.

"Ye… yeah" he said. "What the hell do you want anyways?"

"We need your help." Street explained. "You help us, this whole shit show never happens."

Suiryu smirked. "Why should I believe you?" he demanded. "For all I know, it's another trick by the heroes,"

Knuckle sighed as he decided to bring up a hologram. Suiryu paused as he saw the image of a lovely young girl beamed in front of him. "Uncle Knuckle, what are you doing?" she protested and giggled.

"Just testing out this recording feature… Come on let's see if it works, give me a twirl!"

She stood up and did a small twirl, Suiryu appeared smitten. "Who… is she?" he asked with the biggest grin on his face. "She's like me!"

"My niece." Said Knuckle. "Now, you help us. I'll introduce you!"

A curious look came over Suiryu. "Tempting… tempting… but how do I know this is real? What if this is a trick… They have tried to trick me many times since becoming this you know."

Knuckle rolled his eyes. "Fine, truth is, in this time line she doesn't exist. In ours though, if you help us fix this…" he played the hologram again, he watched on with disinterest until he found a less monster looking version of himself appear beside her.

"Hey babe!" he said joyfully, wrapping his arms around Alley. "Mine!" he said in a teasing tone.

"Mine?" the monstrous Suiryu whispered. "She's… mine?" he asked.

"Your wife." Said Street. "In our time line, not this one. So…" Knuckle reached into his arm and took out a small flat disk, just like what he gave to Max and Stinger. "This is a communicator. We will call for your help on this, and it will relay the coordinate as to where we are. You can choose to answer the call or not. If you do… this will led you there."

He tossed it up as Suiryu snatched it in mid air. He stared at it and then glared back at Knuckle. Nothing more was said as he walked off. "That went well…" muttered Saitama.

"Yeah…" Knuckle paused as he began to intercept a call. He heard the conversation between Amai and Child Emperor. "We don't have much time, sounds like Amai may have found Garou's hiding spot!"

"Shit, what about Melee how are we going to…" said Street.

"Melee fell down into a massive hole, but, I got a feeling she's okay. But right now, we got to get there and warn Garou and the people. If not…"

"Would there be many casualties?" asked Genos.

"Half a city's worth of people." Said Knuckle.

"Then we don't have much time!"

"King" called Street.

He jumped as his voice was called. "Uh… yeah…"

"We need you to go back to the Heroes HQ. We need you to bide us time."

"Me?" he asked with a nervous tone. "But, I…"

"Please King, we don't got all day, and we are desperate here. We need a distraction!"

He took a deep cleansing breath, King nodded. "Okay…" he said with a sigh.

"Saitama, Genos, with me. Knuckle, get King back and get the hell out of there."

"Done and done bro. Let's go!" Grabbing King by the scruff of his shirt, Knuckle took off into the sky, King screamed all the way there….

#

In city F

He slithered through the streets and buildings, up and down, back and forth as he always did. Snek remembered everything he had done since he lost control of himself. It didn't help with that damn implant they put into the sides of his head. He couldn't control his own actions, there were people who got hurt under his watch, but, he didn't kill any of them. He never took a person's life to feed himself, there were more than enough monsters for that. But now, he has control, he could go and do something about Amai Mask. Snek perched himself on the tallest building in the city, just to look over it all and try and figure out his next move. Yet his mind kept drifting back to the two cyborgs with Saitama. What one of them said still haunts him.

What about your son.

"Son," he muttered lowly to himself. "I have no son, how could they know of that?"

"SNEK!"

He froze to the voice as he turned and saw Lightning Max. "Snek! Can we talk?"

He arched himself down as he saw Max standing on the second highest building. "Max, what do you want?" he asked.

"I came to see if you made up your mind. You were spoken to earlier by the Brawlers and Saitama right?"

He sneered at the thought of it all. "What of it?"

"Are you going to help or not!"

Snek brushed off the comment. "Why should I? No one, NO ONE has helped us up until now! Seven years Max, we've been like this for seven goddamn years!"

"I know… Snek, please, I don't know if anything they said was true. But, it's hope isn't it?" Max asked. "We have something worth fighting for, even worth dying for it push comes to shove, you mean to tell me you don't want a chance to be a true hero again?"

"Leave me alone Max," he warned. "I haven't eaten in a while."

Max sighed as he got the message. He took one of the flat disks Knuckle gave him. "Take this though." He tossed it to Snek. He caught the device and stared at it oddly. "If you change your mind, this will guide you. For me, I'm going to do the job I was meant to do… Protecting the people!"

In a crack of lightning, he was gone. Snek stared at the device but turned his nose up at it. "Go out a hero huh, like that's even an option anymore."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

She kept in isolated from the others.

Melee realized she wasn't wanted in company, so she respectably removed herself. Her mind began to think over time and time again when she and Amai went out and saved people, at least, she thought they were. There was always this look of terror on their faces, Amai was known to calm the masses, and he was a face people could trust. When did that turn to fear?

"They were always scared, I thought it was the shock of being rescued, that someone finally came…" she muttered.

"Far from it."

She paused and saw Zombieman wheel himself over. She didn't realize until now that he had no lower body! "Shit, what…"

"I was the first to realize what was going on. Spying is sort of my thing you know. Not to mention, it helps I was a test subject within the house of evolution." He said and he lit up a smoke. "The moment I found out who became the new 'government' I tried to warn the people. However, they were too fast and too quick to move out to say the least. I was the first hero they made certain to 'disappear'" He took in a big drag of the smoke before expelling it. "Since then, I've been nothing more than a petri dish. Being immortal they kept taking samples off of me, more and more each and every day. Just enough to keep me in place, but my regeneration began to become a concern to them. They stuck me with a serum every week, it would slow it down to a snail's crawl,"

"I… didn't know. I'm so sorry!"

"I didn't expect someone like you to know what was happening, you were what? Class B?" he asked.

"I was going to go to Class A, but Amai insisted that I hold back. Next thing I knew, nearly all of A rank heroes went missing in action after an attempt to raid a monster lair."

He snorted a laugh to comment. "Missing in action, please!" he snickered. "He made them disappear!"

"What do you mean…"

"It's exactly as it sounds!" Zombieman stated. "In fact, part of the reason why Bad was killed. He dared to share the information given to him to take Orochi alive, he first gave it to Garou, and then, some of the top people in A Class. When they learned the truth, they tried to make things right. Many of them died along side Metal Bat as he tried to bide time, just enough to get his sister and people out of harm's way."

Melee took it all in.

He's lying isn't he?

Zombieman has become nothing more than a bitter hero after what's become of him, what he is telling her now is a lie, it has to be! Amai wouldn't…

Yet the more she began to try and convince herself it was a lie, the more she realized she was trying to deceive herself. If it weren't true, why was she trying to talk herself out of believing it?

But there have been so many times, Amai came back to the association covered in crimson. No monster blood she knew of had dark red blood. It was usually a strange color like blue, green or even purple. Why was he red all the time?

"My God…" she whispered. "But… he couldn't do that without proper reasoning! I mean, Amai is there to look out for the people!"

"Keep telling yourself that…" Zombieman muttered.

There came a low tone throughout the underground. "What the hell is that?!"

"Nightfall." He explained. "Best find a place to sleep, it's going to be difficult for you since no one wants you around. Hospitals are for patients only by the way." With that, he wheeled off.

Melee sighed, he was right though, there was no proper place for her to sleep, let alone anything to have for comfort. The underground certainly was chilly at night. She kept awake though, wondering about and looking to see what this underground city was all about.

There are houses made from the old monster association foundation, the walls sectioned off into small rooms that house families. They blocked out the chill with thick blankets and turned in for the night. All the places appeared to be full to say the least.

She took a seat in the dirt and decided to set up camp there. She would make do after all. She's a Brawler!

Yet as she tried to move some thing around to make a shelter, she heard something. A strange hiss came from behind her! Melee felt her heart in her throat as one of the demonic dragon like serpents appeared before her. "Shit don't do that!" she protested.

The creature stared at her oddly, before nudging it's head to the side, indicating it wanted her to follow it. Well, there wasn't much of an option, it maybe showing her a place to rest.

Picking herself from the ground, Melee followed it with caution as it led her back to Garou's area. She froze at the notion before it continued to try and convince her to follow it into the cavern. "Are you serious?" she demanded.

Yet, despite how dark the cavern was, she felt warmth. It was warm in there! Soon it lit up as the creatures on Garou opened their mouths and revealed the inside to her. It was quite spacious! He slept on something soft by the looks of it and appeared to invite her over. "You want me… no offence but ew!" she said in a disgusted tone.

"**_Could… do… worst_**." Garou managed to say.

Melee turned her nose up at it at first. "Look, you seem really nice…" she began to say, but then, she felt a chill. The back of her spine tingled as the temperature continued to drop outside of the cave. So much so she could see her breath! Melee inched herself just far enough to stay in and avoid the cold. "As I was saying, I do appreciate your intention Garou, it's just that…" Another waft of cold air came in. "Damn it, is it always this drafty?!"

He snickered as he moved himself back and offered a small space for her to sleep on. There wasn't much of a choice now, slowly she crept her way closer as she stared down at the bedding. It was made of monster skin! "You… ate all of these things?" she asked.

"**_No… sheddings_**"

'Damn it, it's his skin!' she thought. But it was this or the frigid air outside. Swallowing her pride, Melee crept closer and eased herself down into the bedding. Despite the materials, it was rather cozy and warm! Garou eased himself down and began to regain his comfort. Melee jumped as one of the serpents came and coiled around her very gently, enough to tuck her into place! Sleep got the better as her eye grew heavy…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

At the heroes Association, City Z…

"This maybe the opportunity we have been waiting for…" Amai announced to the heroes. "Garou has eluded us for so long, so long and now, we have the chance to final end him and his reign of terror!"

"Excavation is needed." Announced a hologram of Metal Knight. "We need to do this diligently, no doubt he isn't foolish enough to have his territory unprotected."

"Amai, are you sure about this? Do you not want a moment to grieve after losing Mimi?" asked Child Emperor.

Amai refused the notion. "She would have wanted us to move on and keep our minds focus on what we are truly after, her sacrifice shall not be in vein!"

The room suddenly froze as a door opened. "Is that?"

"No way…"

"KING!"

The room was amazed, but none more so than Amai Mask himself. "King?" he whispered in great surprise.

"King, King! Where have you been? What happened?" asked Child Emperor. "Last we heard you were on an important mission."

"As well, the last bit of feedback we got from Genos, you were about to be murdered by him. See, this is why I ensure I have access to all cyborgs!" protested Metal Knight. "Those two rouge ones are harder to find than anticipated."

King gulped his pride as he kept a brave face, however his King engine was on high gear. Amai knew it too, he has never heard it that loud before. "We need to wait on the excavation…" he said. "I heard through the door of the notion, but I advise against it. We are merely offering any monster that has been lurking below the surface a way out, showing directions to topside and therefore increasing our own burdens. We have our hands full as it is, the Organization has tried to infiltrate us by using Genos as a spy. We still have three heroes who have turned into monsters living near the safe cities and are getting too close to comfort. As well, we have limited supplies as it is, are we not just wasting them in this search that could yield nothing?" he asked the room.

There were whispers. People were in agreement with King, however Metal Knight paused. "What if we merely use one of my robots, they have greater range than any technology we have at the moment to survey the cavern."

"Agreed, but King is also right, we should not be wasting man power on a possible hunch to say the least." Amai said and then paused. "Metal Knight, how long would your robot take to survey the area?"

"Depends on the depth and size. Just by the information you gave me, it could be some time…"

"So be it, get started immediately. Everyone, be on high alert, as well… We are now confirming Saitama is no longer with our cause!"

"Wait, what?" demanded King.

"We have seen the footage of the take down of Genos, he did nothing to help you, as well, we sent him to stop the three turned heroes, and they are still alive. He has not done what we have asked of him!" protested Amai. "Therefore, if Saitama could not be trusted with those simple tasks, then we will not bother with him. Do NOT pursue him, understood?" he demanded the room.

"SIR YES SIR!" they shouted back.

As the heroes began to leave, Amai reached out and snagged on by the arm. He smiled down at her. Fubuki froze in his grasp. "I do believe we had an agreement? The day Mimi is no longer bounded to me, you and I are free to resume our… relationship." He said as he reached down for her hand and kissed it.

Fubuki herself smiled. "I thought this day would never come," she purred. "My room, one hour" she said and left.

Yet as Amai turned, he froze, realizing King was still in the room. "Why?" he asked. "Why did you have me survey that area? You KNEW they were there, didn't you?"

A small grin came across his face. "Oh, yes, I did. But you were the only one strong enough to face the threat alone. I appreciate all your efforts Kings, Child Emperor has already retrieved the destroy bodies of the Organization members and will be dismantling them along side Metal Knight. You have done excellent work!" he announced and patted him on the shoulder. "It won't be long now, we will finally face down and destroy Garou once and for all! Rumor has it, he has been kidnapping people, making his own monster army to led to the surface."

With that, Amai left. He paused as he stared down at the ring given to him by Melee when he declared himself hers and hers alone. He finally was able to take off it off and place it into his pocket.

After all, Fubuki was waiting for him…

#

The other heroes yet quickly clamored King walked out of the room, all eyeing him with great wonderment and admiration. "We can't believe you took out all those cyborgs from the Organization! That is remarkable!" stated Child Emperor.

"Indeed, someone of your caliber is truly wasted here." Announced Flash. "Remarkable is an understatement."

King's heart continued to race, he has tried to play it cool for so long, but knows he has to continue to do so. "Robots are robots…" he said. "Makes no difference to me, they all turn to scrap afterwards."

"Truer words have never been spoken" said Flash. "You should rest until Amai has planned out our next move. We need King at his strongest if this is a path to Garou. Finally, we can end this madness!"

They quickly parted and left him be. King made his way to his chambers with caution. Once he locked the door, he rushed to the bathroom… he was violently ill.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Street, Knuckle, Saitama and Genos made their way back to the underground of City Z. The Brawlers took the same method they used to get out and memorized the path Tareo showed them. When they arrived, the people were just waking for the day, yet once they saw Saitama and Genos. There was panic. "THEY FOUND OUT!"

"THE HEROES, THEY CAME, RUN!"

"HOLD IT!" howled Knuckle. "We ain't with them!"

"Bro…" Street whispered. "Melee's here!"

Knuckle paused as he picked up Melee's vitals. "Shit, she can't see us… can she?" he asked

The people calmed down slightly. "Wait, you were the two Tareo brought back… who are they?" one man asked.

"A guy you want on your side…" Zombieman wheeled himself out, he took one look at Saitama and nodded. "Good to have you back."

"I went somewhere?"

"Oh shit man, why didn't I think of this before!" Knuckle announced as he slapped his forehead. He approached Zombieman. "Nick your finger for me?" he asked.

"Why?"

"You want to get your ass out of that damn chair or not!"

Zombieman was a little hesitant until he found one of his fire ax at the back of his chair. He nicked his thumb. Knuckle was quick to skim his finger over the wound before ingesting the droplet. He cringed. "Gah, no offence man, but your blood tastes like gym socks and a hint of chemical."

"Why did you do that?" he demanded.

Knuckle paused until he pulled the skin back on his right hand, his index finger filled with a liquid and he gave a satisfied nod to it. The tip turned sharp as he as quick to inject it into Zombieman. "What the hell!"

"Wait for it…" said Street.

In a matter of five minutes, he went from half a man, to being whole again! Not even Zombieman himself could believe it! "How…"

"Our skin is an alien slime, anything I take in, it can remedy if it's a toxin or whatever the hell the ailment is." Knuckle explained. "PS, you ain't wearing any pants."

He was quick to wrap his coat over his legs. Zombieman got out of the chair and was quick to excuse himself from those who gathered. People were whispering now. "They are amazing."

"Remarkable power."

"They are truly on our side?"

"So, what's there to eat down here?" Saitama asked. "I don't know about you, but I am starving."

#

In Garou's chamber.

She slept rather blissfully.

Melee never thought she could let her guard down around Garou, being what he is, he could have snatched her up and devoured her in the middle of the night. Yet, there was something strange about him. She woke that morning, and was warmed and rather comfortable. Yet froze, she couldn't move. Before her was Garou's massive arm. Behind her, his chest! She became nestled into him like a plush bear! "Oh shit…" she muttered. Worst still, she found herself spooning his arm! But it made her pause for a moment. "Wasn't his arm a lot bigger than before?" she whispered. It didn't matter, she had to break free from his grasp! She tried to be gentle at first, pushing his arm away from her as she could gain enough room to slip out, For a moment, she thought she obtained it, yet his arm quickly tucked back in place and held her closer to him!

'What the hell?' she thought.

Time and time again she tried to get free, but each time she was close, Melee was tucked in and even closer to the human monster. "I am not a damn teddy bear" she growled.

Then, came a deep, monstrous laugh!

Peering up, one of his six eyes opened and was peering down at her! He was awake this whole time! "You asshole!" she protested.

But he still laughed, Garou finally let her go as Melee got to her feet. She tried to brush off what just happened, yet, there was a part of her that enjoyed it. She never felt so secure before! But she wasn't about to say anything about it! No, she was going to keep silent and move on!

She got up and out of the pile of discarded skins, she straightened her hair as best she could before venturing out, yet, as she did, one of the dragons stopped her. "What? You don't want me to leave?" she asked. Peering back, there was a strange look on Garou's face. Despite his monstrous features, she could read him quite well.

"Garou… what are you asking of me?"

He tried to speak, yet only dull roars and strange monster sounds came out of him. He cleared his throat again before saying. "**_Know you_**?"

She took a moment to consider his words. "You want to get to know me?"

His head nodded. "**_Why, Amai?_**"

"Why not?" she snapped back. "He is one of the strongest heroes in our world right now. He… he took care of me when I lost my family. My father and brothers died in a monster attack when I was young. Amai made sure I had a job, so I kept a roof over my head and food in my stomach. My home was destroyed, I had nothing to go back to. He trained me on how to be a proper hero too. If it wasn't for him, I would be in a safe city just surviving." She explained. "Why would you care anyways?"

He appeared taken aback by her tone, he turned away rather embarrassed to say the least. "I know Amai has said thing about you, how you are driven to become a monster once more for the sake of power. But I see for myself it's not true. These people… they fear me far more than you."

"**_Change that…_**" Garou said.

Melee blew off the idea. "How? As far as they know, I am no better than Amai for what has happened to them. I am part of their hardships. I have caused it too. God… how many people did I really separate from their families and considered them 'saved'…"

"**_Know… truth about… cities?_**" he asked.

"The truth?" she questioned back.

"Do you know why the people fear safe cities over this place?"

Melee jumped as Tareo stood with his back to the wall.

She paused and stared at his face oddly, the splotches of odd white skin combined with his normal flesh tone. "I came from there, I survived because I managed to escape, but others like me didn't," he said. Tareo got angry as his fists struck the wall hard. "I NEVER ASKED TO BECOME THIS!"

His tone startled her. "Will you tell me everything?"

He nodded to her. "Ojisan. I am going to borrow her for a while. Perhaps she will understand why everyone is the way they are around her"

Garou gave but a nod in agreement. Tareo led the way out but insisted she speak to his girlfriend. Zenko.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The class just finished wrapping up. The students dismissed as Tareo gently knocked on the side of the cement slab. "Class dismissed?" he asked.

Melee froze as she turned around. Zenko has become a young, rebellious looking woman. Her hair buzzed cut from both sides yet it was kept long in the middle, offering a side swiped hair do. She wore the tattered remains of her brother's leather jacket, pants and shirt, however. Melee froze. There was a scar across her right eye, she was blind it in as well. At first, she smiled warmly, but it quickly vanished the moment her eye came on Melee.

She reached under her desk and took out her brother's metal bat. "Who the fuck are you!" she demanded.

"Easy, for the moment, she's on our side." Tareo explained gently.

Her stance didn't settle the least bit, her eye continued to glare at Melee. "I doubt that, she's the wife of Amai Mask, isn't she?"

"For now…" Tareo whispered. "She doesn't know the full story, it's not being told to her."

For a moment, Zenko finally settled. As Melee took a closer look at her, she was wearing what Metal Bat would into battle. Was this for her own protection? To remind her of her brother? She didn't know, Melee had met Zenko once before as a child, since she's all grown up, there's a distinct coldness to her. "Why are we even bothering with the likes of her? Why did Garou even save her? He could have left her to die for all I care…"

"Harsh…" Melee whispered. "I… I was being told what happened to Bad… I got one side of the story, but not the other…" she said.

Zenko snorted. "What, you think knowing the truth is going to bring my brother back!" she demanded. "Look here lady, my brother DIED doing what he knew was best for everyone! He didn't do it for glory, NOR was he trying to help Garou get stronger. Hell, Garou didn't even want to do in Orochi the way he did, but look what happened! For the greater good of all, he took a hit and now the people turn on him without knowing he was saving them!" she shouted.

"I was only told a little bit by Amai Mask… I didn't realize…"

"How could you not?" she snapped back. "Melee Brawler, I know of your family, they were far better at coming to a proper conclusion than this! Your family may have looked like a bunch of meatheads but they weren't… except for you apparently!"

"Whoa, hold back a bit babe," Tareo pleaded. He gently took her into his arms and braced her tightly. "I know it hurts, it still hurts a lot of us. I looked up to Bad too, but also know, she knows the pain of losing a brother… she lost two of them." He whispered.

It suddenly hit her harder than expected. Melee began to feel tightness in her chest as she realized, what was said is true. Tears began to fall, and traced down her cheek. "I… so sorry…" she whispered.

Zenko suddenly pulled away as Melee went weak in the knees. "How could I not be… how could I have been… Zenko…" she fell to the ground and bowed before her. "I am so sorry for the loss of your brother Bad! I should have seen it before, he was always a stand up man and never lied unless it was for the greater good of all around him. He did what he had to do to keep everyone… especially you safe. I was too blinded by my love for Amai to see it… I thought he could do no wrong…"

She stayed on the ground, crying to the notion. Amai has lied to her, this whole time, and did so with a smile on his face. He never batted an eye to the death of a hero, he always said causalities happened, yet, why did those who fell in battle, die under Amai's watch?

It hit her hard again right in the chest. She was blind this whole time to it all. The reasoning behind it all… he was purposely taking them out!

Melee stood up one more, she took the ring Amai gave her off her left hand and whipped it into the wall. It shattered upon impact, yet, now she wondered, how could she make amends. "I get it…" she whispered once more. "I understand why people fear the heroes that were suppose to protect them. We've become the monsters."

"Not all the heroes," said Tareo. "There are some currently in the association that have not veered from their cause. But they do everything in utmost secrecy to say the least. At the moment, Melee, it would be best if you remained with us. Earn the people's trust again," he said.

"How?" she asked. "I will do anything!"

"Kill yourself," growled Zenko.

"BABE!"

"Seriously, if she means it…"

Melee suddenly dashed, she came up from behind Tareo, grabbed one of his daggers and was about ready to stab herself with it! She was suddenly lashed from the side. Her hands dropped the dagger, as she slid down the wall.

"What… the… hell!" Zenko demanded. She picked up the dagger and stared at Melee. "I didn't mean…"

But Melee began to black out…

#

"Did he have to hit her so hard?"

"I think he assumed she is a lot stronger than she appears to be…"

Her vision suddenly cleared. Melee's eyes opened up as Dr. Genus stared her down. "Oh good, she wakes!" he announced.

"Wha…" she moaned. "My head…"

"Hey, dipshit!"

Melee suddenly snapped up as Zenko stood in the room, her arms crossed as she appeared rather angry. "Know sarcasm when you hear it!" she snapped. "Not to mention, why the hell would I have you kill yourself in MY classroom!" she protested. "You are a lot dumber than you look, then again you married Amai Mask, it explains a lot."

Melee laid back down in bed, yet froze. Zombieman stood in the room, and he was back to normal! "You healed?" she asked.

"Yeah, I healed." He said rather plainly. "It's not that shocking."

"What… hit me?" she asked. "How long was I out for?"

"Four days." There came an awkward pause in the room. "And I did." Said Zenko. "I didn't think you were stupid enough to go through my sarcastic comment."

Melee paused, she would have seen Zenko coming at her, and she would have blocked the strike? Or was she so committed in the deed. It was overlooked? She didn't care for the moment, she was glad though she was stopped. "I'm sorry I am putting people through all of this… I've always been a burden to others…"

"Say what?"

Melee froze as she saw a much larger Zombieman enter the room, yet, he appeared heartbroken to her words. "Uh… Dr. Genus, didn't you say you STOPPED doing house of evolution stuff?" asked Melee.

There was a look of panic over the larger Zombieman until he blurted out. "I was created in one of the safe cities!" and then laughed. "I was defective, but managed to escape, much to my dumbass luck!"

"Yeah… that one is defiantly defective, it looks like you but blabbers like an idiot. Kinda like how one of my brother's use to talk when he got caught in a lie. You couldn't shut him up even if you stuffed food in his face!"

"HEY!"

Only to get a stiff elbow to the gut and a glare by Zombieman. "Excuse me, I got to speak with this clone… alone!" he growled and managed to shove him out of the room.

"What the hell was with that one?" Melee asked.

"Different process I suppose…" muttered Genus.

#

She rested well, yet a short time later, the tall Zombieman returned. "Did anyone tell you, you look like a tank?" she asked. Yet paused. "You're not the same one from earlier, are you?"

He shook his head no. A smirk came over him as he took a seat. "I heard what you said earlier, about being a burden to others… who the hell told you that?" he asked, but there was a twinge of pain in his tone, he sounded offended by what she said!

Melee sighed. "Shortly after my family died, I tried to make ends meet. I had no other family to depend on, I was the last of the Brawlers." She said. "I spent time working for Amai Mask, until I found out that I could be a hero, get a better payday out of it. Yet, when the whole monsters association began to attack, I began to believe I was out of my league. I got hurt a few times and other heroes had to cover for me. One time, I was about to get smashed into the ground… when Amai saved me." She explained.

There came a perplexed look on the face of the large Zombieman. "Is that so?" he asked with curiosity.

"Amai said… I can't be a burden to anyone, I have to stand on my own two feet. I decided to work for him again, to learn and become a better hero. I even held off on apply to A Class rank because he suggested it. So, I held off. But I always feel like I am lacking, I am not good enough to be a hero, no matter how hard I try to get stronger… it's never enough, not for him at least." she sighed aloud. "I tried finding another way of being helpful… When Amai and I got married, I vowed to have his children… I wasn't even good at that"

He shuttered at the thought.

"I was taken to the best doctor at the time and was told I was infertile…"

"What…"

She nodded. "He said no matter what I tried, what treatments I was put on, the chances of me having a baby were practically impossible." She hung her head shamefully. "I didn't think I deserved to be his wife anymore, but he said he didn't care. But I knew he did, which was why I agreed he could be with other women who could give him a family…"

There came an odd twitch in the eye of this strange clone of Zombieman. Why would he be upset by this news? "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine… peachy…" he growled. "Excuse me…"

He walked out of the room oddly, he was seething with rage for some reason! "What the hell is with the clones around here?"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Earlier.

The brothers kept waiting outside the room. Melee was knocked out good, the days would pass and each time they came to see her, there was one of Garou's monster appengages checking on her. It stayed until people began to show up, but would return the moment the room emptied.

"It appears it's the same thing in both timelines…" Knuckle said with a smirk. He was just as devoted to her now as he was before. But, they just met, what brought it on?

Street kept pacing outside the door, but wanted to go in. "We have to see her ourselves…" Melee was starting to moan, so much so that it caught the attention of Genus. Tareo and Zenko were quick to come to the room as well as Zombieman. Street wanted to follow suit but Knuckle stopped him.

"We can't let her see us like this!" protested Knuckle. "What the hell do we do!"

'Engage in figure form alternative. Do you accept?'

"Huh… my voice in my head went off…"

Street paused. "Didn't Boros's hologram say we absorb the power and talents of those who have taken DNA from? You just took Zombieman's does that mean…"

There was a smirk. "Let's find out! Activate figure form, Zombieman." He said aloud.

His skin began to quiver, the pigment changed and altered to that of a greyish white. He felt his own hair retract as short black hair grew in. His face altered and shaped itself, his clothing changed to the infamous black pants, strapped shirt and brown trench coat. In mere moments, he turned into Zombieman! "Nice! Whoa, I even sound like him now!"

The brothers knew how their sister ended up back in the hospital room, they didn't hold any grudges, in fact, they were grateful for the quick response of Garou!

When he was done turning, Knuckle was about to enter the room when Tareo came out, the moment his eyes came upon the massive Zombieman, he froze. "Wait…"

"It's me," Knuckle said in his normal voice. "Testing out a new feature… is my sister okay?"

"We think she is coming too, but don't know yet."

"I'm going to see about it, hopefully she will wake soon enough…" before Knuckle could enter the room, he was suddenly pushed back. His eyes peered down as he found Zombieman staring at him.

"What the hell is this?" he demanded. "How did you…"

"Do you really have time for the full story? At the moment we can't be seen by Melee Brawler, mind if I…" Street asked.

Zombieman sneered as he nicked his thumb. Street was quick to take a sample and digest the blood to alter his form. As his slime processed it, Melee came too. Knuckle rushed into the room, and in typical fashion, he made a fool of himself. He can't talk properly when he is caught in a lie, old habits died hard. It took, Zombieman's interference to force him out of the room and into the hall.

"What the hell is with you!" he growled.

Street glared at his brother. "I am in agreement with him"

"Well… I don't really know how you act? So. I kinda winged it… guess that wasn't the way to go now was it?"

A collective groan could be heard from both Zombieman and Street. "I'll be more cautious, I know you are quite secretive and you like to interview people in getting information. You don't really smile, you keep quite until the person who has talked finishes…"

Zombieman nodded. "Don't abuse this privilege!" he warned the brothers.

"I just wanted to know why she considered herself a burden… she isn't, our sister is never a burden!" Knuckle protested.

"I'll ask her about it tonight, remember, this isn't the same Melee we know and love."

His brother sighed and nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'll go off to the side here, you speak to sis when she wakes up."

#

The conversation didn't make Street any more settled, he stormed out after learning Amai has been manipulating her from the get go. This reality's Amai Mask is far viler than the one in their timeline. He has a gall to use her and still sleep around with other women. "I'm going to bash his face in!" Street muttered lowly to himself.

He ventured off and found the people all gathering around having a meal. Saitama was teaching them the strong fundamentals of hot pot, a lost tradition in a sense to those living underground. "Cabbage is very important to this meal…" he insisted upon. Genos helped explain it all to the people who were more than willing to listen as long as they could eat their fill. He also showed that monster parts can be used in hot pot, bones from a bull looking beast that fell from the surface was used as a broth base. When he finished, Saitama poured a nice bowl and excused himself. Street was curious until he found him venturing to Melee's room.

He kept outside but listened in. "You ought to be hungry, long day and all, here."

"Thank you, Saitama… I am so sorry for how I acted before… I'm sorry I slapped you…"

"I didn't feel a thing if it makes you feel any better."

"A little, but the fact that I did that… I'm truly sorry…"

"Yeah, well hopefully we can fix all of this, I hate this place."

"Fix?" she asked.

"Yeah, this world shouldn't exist. In fact, where I am from, and I said before, you married Garou."

There was silence. "Why did I?" she asked.

"I don't know the details myself, but it appears you and him had a deep bond. I mean, it wasn't every day that when someone becomes a monster and then human again, gets turned into a monster once more, but against his will… you seemed to have understood him when it was happening a second time. He wasn't seeking this power. It was forced on him. In fact, I know he's like a giant right now. In my world, that is his true form, yet he can control it, and become his normal size, just not his human state."

"H… how is that even possible!"

"Well, you did it"

Street even froze to the news. Saitama explain when Garou's power to too much to handle, Melee confronted him and was able to talk him down and settle himself to regain his mind and his form. "Your words reached him somehow, if he didn't care, he wouldn't have listened to you."

Street suddenly found himself sitting on the ground and taking in the story. Melee has the power to encourage others to find their strength.

"Saitama… can this be fixed?" she asked.

"Yeah, I hope so… well… the thing is, it can't be forced." He said.

'Wow, Saitama is actually thinking this through!' Street thought.

"Can't be forced? What do you mean?"

"I can't quite explain it, yet despite all my power and those around me, we are not the ones to correct this timeline, it depends on others, and it cannot be forced to say the least. For now, rest up, eat and maybe you'll feel better tomorrow. Some kid told me they are doing a raid on supplies …"

Saitama walked out of the room, yet as he was about to leave, Melee came out running. "Raid? Did you say raid? Where!"

"Huh? Oh… City D I think…"

"It's a trap!" she protested.

He appeared oblivious once again. "Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be telling those who are going to raid it?"

Melee froze but nodded. "I hope they will listen to me…"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Tareo was going over the plans. He and a small select few that survived the tests in the 'safe cities' they were the ones who went out and gathered what supplies they could. Recently, intel has come in stating that there was a shipment to be delivered to City D. "If we time this correctly, we should be able to secure…"

"WAIT!"

The team froze to the sound of Melee Brawler. "You can't go!" she protested.

"Typical, hero thinking they know what's best." One muttered.

"Shut it Cho!" snapped Tareo. He turned to Melee. "Why are you saying we can't go?"

"It's a trap!" she said. "Amai has been monitoring the raids, he set this one up to catch all of you, he WILL be at City D tomorrow waiting, it's just empty crates!" she explained.

"Why should we trust you!"

"You're his wife!"

"No, not anymore!" she said. Melee approached them and explain the trap. "He has studied your methods and knows how you work, the problem is that now that he knows, he has been calling out fake supply drops. I know since I helped him arrange them. City D is a trap, so is City E, S and M. You want to hit up Cities J, P and O. Most of the supplies will be within City O, there's nothing there, not really a hero hub and it's in the middle of nowhere. Amai was going to have low rank heroes pick it up later. However City O is most tricky due to lack of cover, as well as underground accessibility."

"She's right you know…" Tareo said. "Looking at this now it makes sense. Question is, how do we get into City O and get out with our supplies? We need medicine, we got some kids sick and this is their only shot at getting better. Genus is able to replicate it the moment we get our hands on it, normally he would be able to make it himself but again, limited supplies…"

"That explains why you only raid once!" she said. "You take what supplies that can be duplicated and in a sense cloned, others that are waste goods are more in demand." She then appeared to think things over.

"Say… those odd Zombieman clones… can they lift?" she asked.

Tareo paused and yet found himself nodding his head. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good, perhaps you don't have to find a way in… you merely need to make one…" She found a stick on the ground and drew out City O in the dirt. "Not many people know about this, but before the association fell, the underground criminals were using a speed train to get from city to city. Most of it has fallen into a state of decay, the last I checked the one in City O merely caved in, not collapsed. If you can get the Zombieman clones to clear the path and then reinforce it…"

"We can collapse the tunnel when we are done!" Tareo said.

"HOWEVER" she warned. "This is still risky, you have the great minds like Child Emperor and Metal Knight who can use this to track you still. They are going to noticed new and fallen debris, so you have to plan this carefully."

Tareo paused as he thought it over. "If we leave tracks they can follow us, new destruction will hint the heroes into our location…" he then snapped his fingers. "Ojisan!" he said.

"Garou?" she asked. "He can help you with raids?"

"He doesn't like to leave his position but yes if need be. Shall I go ask him?"

"I'll go with you."

Tareo was wondering why she was being so helpful all of a sudden. Is she leading them to a trap? He wondered, however he decided to keep an open mind.

The two ventured to Garou's lair, Tareo gently knocked as he called aloud. "Ojisan!" Some of the dragons began to emurge from the dark and look to him oddly. "Ojisan, we are going over a raid notion, however, Melee brought up the fact that our previous target was a trap set by Amai Mask. There is a real supply run in City O, but we need your help if you can."

The ground shook and trembled, Garou slowly emerged from his cave as he peered down at the two, he gave but one nod. "I have an idea." Melee said aloud, "but I need the help of those large Zombieman clones you got"

His head tilted in confusion oddly. "**_Clones?_**"

"I'll explain later Ojisan!" Tareo said in great haste. "Melee, we won't be raiding until tomorrow. Perhaps you should rest in the mean time…"

She nodded in agreement, she turned to Garou and blushed. "Is… it wrong of me to ask to sleep here again tonight?"

A coy grin came over the human monster. Tareo swore that Garou has been shrinking in size. Just a little at a time. "What are you doing Ojisan?" he wondered. He watched as Garou guided Melee back into the tunnel, he kept a respectable distance and yet there was a side of him Tareo rarely saw.

He appeared happy for the first time in years!

#

Melee didn't know why, but Garou's place appeared more comforting!

"Did you clean in here?" she asked. There was hardly any dust, even the skins look as if they were cleaned up a bit. Still she shrugged her shoulders to it all as Garou got himself comfortable first, Melee climbed up on to the skins and made herself at home.

"Garou… did you hear Saitama talk to me… about how this world shouldn't exist?" she asked.

His head nodded to her. "**_Married…_**" he said and laughed. "**_Me… married?_**"

"To me no less…" she said. "What would you have seen in me?"

He laughed aloud. "**_Courage… kindness… strength…_**"

She froze. He said that shortly after asking the question, he didn't hesitate or even stop to think about his words? "Wait, how could you have assumed all of that from me? I haven't done anything of the sort!" she protested.

He merely shrugged his shoulders to her as he began to close his eyes. When she thought he was asleep, Melee sighed. "I see things in you that no one has spoke of. You're kind as well in your own way, you're fair and never favor one over another… Why are you more of a hero than the heroes?" She sighed and turned in for the night.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

She coddled him again.

Melee woke once more spooning Garou's arm, and yet, once more, she found the limb has drastically shrunk in size! In fact, she turned and was nestled close to his chest and found Garou was half of his original size than before! "Is he okay?" she asked herself. He was still massive, and yet he was shrinking down. Melee was able to reach over and touch the side of his cheek gently, a small smile crept over his lip as she gently rubbed his face. His scales were smooth there, and yet she felt how strong they were. A low purr soon followed as she felt her whole body quiver from the tone.

She was about to get up when she was pulled in closer to him once more. The odd purr began to escape the human monster once more as he nestled himself once more against her. "You can't be serious! You like to cuddle this much!?" she demanded.

The monstrous laugh began to escape from the apparently sleeping monster. One eye opened as he peered down at Melee, the smile grew across his lip as he brought her in closer to himself. Melee pressed against his chest and yet, didn't resist it.

It was the first time she really felt wanted. Any time she had done such a thing with Amai, she felt his distain of it. He wouldn't return the affection at all, his embrace was cold and empty of comfort. But this… this was welcoming.

"Why are you so kind to me?" she asked.

"**_Want change… I want change._**" Garou replied. "**_Feeling it… closer I am… to you…_**" he's been trying to say full complete sentences, yet they are few and far between. However, Melee remembered that Tareo said Garou didn't speak a lot anymore, he lost his ability to when he grew too large and obtained too much power. But now, it appears he is trying to control it under his own strength!

"You are changing… I can see it, it's amazing!" Melee announced. "Anything I can do to help you?"

His arm wrapped more around her as he braced her even closer to himself. As big and strong as he is, he wasn't crushing her, which surprised Melee herself! She found her right hand slowly glide across his chest, she began to caress him and sighed. "I haven't felt this safe in a long time…" she said. "Not even in the arms of Amai Mask, he was always so cold and distant from me. You've been so warm and inviting… I don't want to leave this…"

"**_Stay… with me_**?" he asked.

Melee froze, she didn't realize she said everything out loud to him! Peering up, he was looking down at her with great sincerity. "You would let me? After everything I have done… what I did for him… being with him…" she said and sound more resenting to herself than before.

Garou chuckled. "**_No longer… with him… with me now… stay_**?" he asked again.

Melee smiled and nodded. "Yes."

A deep resonating sound came out of Garou, it was like a roar but one of celebration. It shook her down to her bones! He released her from his arms as Tareo showed up. He froze at the sight. "Ojisan?" he asked. "What's happened to you? You're shrinking!"

"He's trying to control his power on his own." Melee explained. "He's doing remarkably well!"

"I can see that, but how? After all these years, he has tried before," Tareo asked.

"Perhaps he needed the right motivation?" Melee however shrugged it off. "So the raid today, can I help?"

There was a look of reluctances on Tareo. "I don't know…" he said offhandedly, yet Garou began to growl at him. It took him by surprise to say the least.

"We don't need a lot of people, the two Zombieman clones, myself and Garou on stand by to accept the supplies. I won't risk anyone's life on this, it will prove to you the information I obtained isn't fake!" she protested. "I will take all the risks!"

Tareo sighed and nodded. "We need the medicine more than anything. Everything else we can do without, but not that. If it goes south, secure the medical supplies first." He insisted. "I'll go grab the clones"

Garou released her from his arms. Melee slowly climbed her way down to the ground once more, yet she felt one of his serpents coil around her wrist. She turned and saw a look of worry come over Garou himself! "**_Be… careful_**" he said gently.

She smiled and nodded. "I know the people are upset with me, I understand too. I have to do this raid on my own to prove I wasn't setting them up for a trap." She explained. "I understand now why people stay down here, it's safer than the world above, you can trust those who share the darkness with you."

He released her, Melee wondered out of his chambers were the two clones were sitting and waiting for her. The defective one smirked to her. "You and Garou huh? You know, I think it works." He said offhandedly.

"What the hell would you know!" Melee snapped back. "Seriously, why didn't they get rid of that defective one, you are nothing like Zombieman!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe since I can still do what he does, the personality doesn't matter. So, what's the plan?"

Melee explained the path they need to take, however in doing so they have to be aware that the underground tunnel is under constant surveillance. The moment they step into it, Metal Knight or Child Emperor will know. "We need a way to bypass the cameras…"

"Done." Muttered the more collective Zombieman.

"Wait, how…"

"I am more than aware of the cameras that are set up within underground traffic areas once used by the people and the cities above. Like hell those two wouldn't have rigged it so they can ensure every base is covered." He explained and took out a smoke, yet just before he lit it up, he turned to her oddly. "What else could those two set up?" he asked.

She thought it over, normally cameras would be enough of a deterrent for would be thieves, however considering the circumstances as well as whom they are up against, there is more than mere cameras watching those tunnels. "We should be wary of motion sensors, especially in ground. Perhaps they have heat detection as well as added security. After all there are no doubt vermin in the tunnels so those would set off motion sensors…" she said offhandedly.

The serious clone nodded, he paused for a moment and nodded his head again. "Okay, let's go." He announced.

"Wait, what about the other security…"

"Taken care of, we got medicine to get, let's go get it," he announced.

With that, Melee and the clones began to depart, however she called for Garou to keep a close eye on them, if push comes to shove, he needs to be there to grab what they can and go.

However, there was a sense of dread filling Melee. Something didn't seem right about this. It wasn't the stealing to say the least, but it bothered her. The back of her mind began to send out a warning signal. There was something more happening.

Tareo led most of the way, due to the underground being layered with hidden traps, he got them to the outskirts of City O, from there he left them be. "Good luck." He said but glared at Melee oddly. "Prove me wrong."

She took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, we need to go to where they had the underground bullet train, the criminals used it all the time, and I have no doubt Amai found it a while ago. Most of the tunnels are blocked up so we got to be quick and ensure we collapse it after." She announced.

The defective clone smirked. "Ooo, I get to wreck some stuff… nice."

"Seriously, they kept that one?" she whispered to the other.

"Numbers are numbers to say the least. Let's go." The two actually knew the way, in fact they found an alternative route down towards the bullet train tunnels. The defective clone punched a hole in the ground when he discovered they were above the tracks. Melee however warned them to be careful since it's probably motion sensors.

"They are already disabled." The stern clone stated. "I took the liberty…"

"How…" Melee demanded. "We just came up with this plan, how could you already have this done?"

He turned to the other clone who merely shrugged his shoulders to it all. The more serious of the two sighed as he showed his arm. The skin quivered and suddenly pulled back!

She froze.

The skin retracted and revealed a robotic arm. "Side project." The clone explained. "He can do it too, we're the larger clone of Zombieman but also… cyborg."

She shook her head to it all. "Okay let's go and get those supplies," she said with a sigh. There was no use having this explained to her. Besides, the medicine was needed.

They ventured into the tunnel, The more serious of the two began to led the way to the warehouse. "It will be fast, in and out. I have already gathered information needed and exact location of the supplies."

"Nerd," the other muttered.

Melee rolled her eyes to it all. "You two sound a lot like the brothers I use to have… God I miss them." She said.

The defective one paused. "Do you? What do you miss the most about them?"

"Everything," she whispered. "They always protected and guided me as best they could. I miss their voice, their laughter and jokes. Knuckle was the worst for that!"

The defective one smirked. "Go on…"

"We're nearing the warehouse… but we're blocked in."

Melee paused to the walled up passageway. "We have to go another 100 feet before we are directly under the warehouse."

"We need to move this without causing too much of a scene…"

The more serious one of the two paused. "I got no radio waves, no technology in the area. I don't think there's a hero in city O right now."

"If you think it's…"

BAM

The defective one busted open the pathway and revealed the tunnel once more. "Safe…" she muttered.

"Ladies first…"

"Seriously, why the hell did they keep a defective cyborg on top of a defective clone!?" she muttered and made her way in.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"I didn't realize how deep this underground world went."

"What's the progress on the scanning?"

Amai Mask has been focused on this, nothing more. He is determined that Garou his hidden in this labyrinth under City Z. However, Child Emperor hasn't been able to confirm it yet. "We have gone deeper, but it's getting harder to track my robots to say the least. We have increased the power output, if it hits something soon…"

"I have a glitch in the system." Came the voice of Metal Knight. "It occurred just this morning."

"What glitch?" asked Amai Mask. "Metal Knight, have you been hacked?"

"Impossible!" he protested. "I am the top mind along with Child Emperor when it comes to technology, I cannot possibly be compromised!"

"Then, what is this… glitch?" he demanded.

Metal Knight paused. "I… don't know."

"Where did it originate from?"

"Outskirts of City O, that I am certain."

He froze. "Did he figure out where our supply drop will be!? We made false ones for nothing!" Protested Amai.

"Should I call the other heroes…"

"NO!" Amai protested, the veins on his eyes began to stretch across his face. "This… I'll handle myself."

#

Melee paused as she turned to the clones. The more serious of the two nodded as he announced they were under the warehouse. "Time to punch a hole!" said the other.

"NO!" she hissed. "My God are you that defective? Look, just because you are cyborgs and clones of Zombieman, if this goes south, I got no regeneration properties, understand!" she demanded.

The clone paused but smirked. "Like we would let anything happen to you sis"

She suddenly went still. "What did you just say?"

She swore for a moment, out of the voice of the defective clone, came that of her brother Knuckle. It had been years since she heard his voice, but she knew without a shadow of doubt that was him. From the corner of her eye, she caught the more serious of the two glaring at the defective one. Like he just let a massive secret slip out.

However, Melee sighed aloud, there was no time for this, they need medicine. "Are there any guards above?" she asked

"None," announced the serious clone.

"Good, I see a hidden passage here. I'll get the medicine, wait for me." She said. Melee opened the hatch and peered up through the floor. There wasn't a soul, and there were no cameras by the looks of it. Everything was where Amai said it would be. She found one of the larger crates and used her kunai to lodge into the wood. On each side she placed four before she was able to use them to pry open the box. The first one was dried foods. "Not it…" she whispered.

The second one, basic supplies.

The last one, she tore open and saw the medicine spill out in cardboard boxes. "Paydirt!" she said is great excitement.

She began picking up the boxes, three at a time and passing them along to the clones. She heard the hiss of Garou's dragon appendages, as they grabbed the supplies from the clones and took them away. She emptied the crate before deciding to clean them out of everything.

She was about to reach for the dried foods when she heard a door slam shut. Melee froze as she tried to keep silent and moved about cautiously. Yet, whoever entered the room was just as silent. She heard no footsteps…

"Mimi?"

Behind her, he stood. Amai Mask… and he was about ready to strike her down where she stood! "You're alive?!"

She recovered herself slightly and nodded. "Yes, I am."

His arm slowly lowered, the veins however didn't recede. "What are you doing… what happened to the medical supplies?" he demanded.

She turned and shrugged her shoulders. "Lost in transit?" she said. "It was empty when I got here."

His glare intensified. "You lie to me… how DARE you lie to me!"

Normally, she would be fearful of him. When his voice when even just slightly stern, she would have cowered from him. But, there was a strange strength she felt, there was no fear of him. She no longer felt it since she didn't desire him anymore. Melee kept submissive out of worry she would lose Amai to another, but now, she would be more than happy to drop him out of her life!

She stood tall before him, her eyes glared at him with the same intensity. "You've lied to me for years!" she protested. "What the hell gives you the right to lecture me about lying you asshole!"

He was stunned.

Melee had never shouted back at him like this before, she has always been submissive to say the least, and now, she stands her ground. A creepy smile came over him. "Melee… if I didn't know any better, I would say you changed…"

Her glare didn't lessen. She shook her head in disgust at the sight of Amai. "All these years… when I thought you were there to protect me because you loved me… it was never true was it? You merely 'protected' me to be a mere possession to you!" she said.

The smile only grew. "What of it?" he asked in a cold, callous tone.

"You make me sick now!"

"Oh come now, don't speak such vile words at me. I treated you well!" he protested. "You are my wife are you not?"

"No, not anymore. I never was a wife to you. You would have listened to me, respected and treated me better than you did. All this time I was too blinded by my love for you to see the truth. Question is, why did you do all this?"

The coy grin came over him. "You were like a lost puppy the moment your family died… so cute and adorable… willing to latch on to anything or anyone that gave you a moment of affection you craved so dearly. I didn't have to do much to keep you anyways, but now, it appears the fun is over. Now, my question for you… how did you survive your fall?"

Melee glared at him, she smirked and said. "I'm a lot tougher than I look."

Amai sighed. "It's a shame it must end this way, but I do admit, you have helped me in far greater ways. You see, your so called wedding ring, was a tracking device. Child Emperor has managed to increase the signal to be strong enough to locate it… apparently, you have been living very deep underground for some time… how did you survive… unless… someone there helped you"

She bared no emotion, despite the pit forming in her stomach. She wouldn't break or display a look of worry. Right now, he's merely fishing for answers, what he says can't always be true.

"Monsters fall down pits all the time… if one is desperate enough, they can eat them to survive. Taste terrible to say the least."

Suddenly, he moved. Melee found herself thrown to the far side of the warehouse, her arms pinned to the wall as Amai began to stare at her with a greedy expression. "Finally… you've become a woman worthy of me. I am going to enjoy this, and then… I will make certain, they never find your body… I won't make that mistake twice…"

He was about to force himself upon her, when suddenly he pulled back. Someone tapped his shoulder, Melee peered behind him, but froze. "Hey… dickbag… hands off my sister!"

SMASH

Amai was struck upside the head, he unhanded Melee before crashing into the ground, the floor itself shook from the impact, and yet, Melee was at a loss for words. "Knuckle?" she whispered.

"Defective clone, if you don't mind." He said in a joking tone. "We got to go… But one for the road…" He went over to Amai and smiled, Knuckle kicked him between the legs sending the Class A hero across the room as he roared in agony to the pain. "God that felt good! Let's go!" He grabbed her wrist and brought her back down through the hatch she used. From there, she saw Street waiting for them!

"No time, let's go!" they pulled her along, and yet as they walked, Street's left arm pulled back. He was typing something in, when the tunnel they used began to collapse!

They cleared it in the nick of time, yet Melee was panicked. "Garou, the people!" she protested, but paused. "They're in danger because of me…"

"No, they aren't. We knew about your little tracker on your finger there. Amai was fishing for details, but now, he has a hunch and he's going through, we got time to move people out." Said Street.

"But where…"

"Garou already has a place set up." Said Knuckle.

"We got to go help them… and you need to explain this to me, are you really my brothers?" she asked.

"We'll tell you everything along the way." Vowed Street.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"SHE BETRAYED US!"

"I KNEW SHE COULDN'T BE TRUSTED!"

"WHERE ARE WE TO GO NOW, YOU BITCH!"

Melee took on the onslaught of horrible words, but she deserved it, because of her, Amai and the heroes will be here soon enough, because of her, the safest place in the super continent will now be compromised. She said nothing to their screams of anger. She only endured.

One was about to shout against until a voice boomed. "**_SHUT THE FUCK UP!"_**

The room froze, he hoppled out of his den, still monstrous and larger than he should be, but Garou showed himself! The people froze, stunned to the fact that the human monster dared to leave his den for the first time in years. Many have never laid eyes upon him until now. He appeared to still be in pain, and yet, he managed to keep himself together.

"Ojisan?" whispered Tareo.

"**_I told you… not to call me that… you little shit_**"

Tareo rushed to him and embraced Garou full heartedly. "You're nearly there!" he whispered.

Garou still stood over ten feet tall, his dragon limbs lashed about still and yet they were slowly settling in on his body. He took deep cleansing breaths before speaking again very slowly and carefully. "**_Amai… was keeping an eye… on here for some time… before she came." _**He said.**_ "We are… prepared to move out now… women and children first… follow Tareo_**." He ordered.

They gathered up what they could and all obeyed his order. Melee turned to him with tears in her eyes. "This is my fault, I am so sorry!" she whispered.

"**_No… I heard everything from your… confrontation… Amai… was coming here… anyways. Child Emperor's… drone found here… just after you left… It won't be long…"_**

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

He smirked. "**_What I always… do… hunt… heroes…"_** he said as the grin grew on his face.

"Not alone"

To his side he saw Zombieman, Saitama and Genos waiting. "I haven't had any fun in a while. We're bide them time." Said Saitama.

"**_Go… with them… please_**?" Garou asked. "**_You can… protect… better than me_**."

Saitama nodded in agreement. "Let's go Genos."

"Yes master!"

As the two left, Melee turned to her cyborg brothers. "What about you? The heroes are after you too."

Street smile, Knuckle however was grinning like a fool. "We ain't going nowhere!" said Knuckle. "If I can kick Amai in the nuts again, I'm going to do it!"

Garou appeared impressed. "**_Nice_**," was all he said.

"I'll stick around too… better still… let me see who I can cut off at the pass and possibly slow them down." Zombieman announced. He gathered up his weapons and went on ahead. Genus decided to stay the men who would be the last to leave the underground once Tareo comes back.

However, the ground trembled.

"What the hell…" whispered Melee.

The scary part wasn't that the ground was shaking. It was where it happened. The tremble occurred behind them, the emergency exit that Tareo was using to lead the women and children out…

#

Tareo moved fast. The women and children had to be evacuated first before the strike comes. It was always the plan, and yet, he never thought this day would come. Despite the outburst the people, blaming Melee for what has happened. It wasn't her fault.

It all occurred shortly after she left with Street and Knuckle in the disguises of Zombieman. Tareo was doing his rounds when he saw some kids crouched down and staring down at something. "What is it?"

"Looks like a drill"

"But it has hands and feet?"

He was quick to investigate, Tareo stood over as the kids pointed to the object. "It just came out of the wall now… it's blinking!"

"No… NO!" he was quick to smash the device but the deed is done. They have been discovered and the Heroes would converge soon enough. He was quick to inform Garou of the situation, and the order was given to gather the people and move them out as soon as possible to the secondary safe zone.

He was going on his mind the escape plan, yet as he did, the walls around him trembled. The children and women froze as the quake intensified.

"Is that coming from behind us?" a mother whispered. But he answered her taking out his swords. Tareo stood at the ready, waiting for the walls around him to stop quaking. It won't be long now, the intensity of the sound, the power behind them, they were on the brink of breaking through.

The walls cracked and crumbled, an arm appeared out of nowhere, but Tareo knew it was one of the Tank top cyborgs. Yet as quickly as the arm appeared it was yanked away just as quickly. There was a struggle and then the sound of choking and metal being crushed. He froze as the wall finally crumbled.

Snek emerged!

The women and children panicked and held one another tightly, yet Snek wasn't looking to harm them. "Go," he simply said. "I got the tank tops but more are on the way, quickly"

Tareo nodded as he urged the women to rush on ahead. Yet, Snek stopped one family.

They had been with them since the day Garou started to take in the people, a woman with a young son. The two froze at the sight of the serpent monster that used to be Class A rank 37. Tareo also paused, wondering why he stopped this woman and child.

But the resemblance in the boy was unmistakable.

Snek turned to the woman and simply smiled. "Hi Angela." He said as gently as he could. His sight then turned to the boy. "I'm sorry I was never there for you." He said nothing more and allowed them to pass.

Angela, the woman with blonde hair froze as her son urged her to keep going, but she turned back around, her arms wrapped around as much of Snek's body as she could and embraced him whole heartedly. She cried as he gently placed a hand to her back. "You need to go." He said in a careful tone. "Please… for the sake of our son."

Even the boy froze. "Son?" he asked.

"Drax, we have to go now!" Tareo shouted. "Angela!"

She reluctantly let go as she began to run on with the others. But Drax kept turning back. "Wait, that's my dad, he's my father?! Dad… DAD!" he shouted all the way.

Snek turned to Tareo and begged him. "Protect them… I'm going to help Garou."

Tareo nodded. Coming up from behind were Saitama and Genos. Relief came over Snek as he began to make his decent down into the underground. Tareo knew they were near their safe zone. It was just a little farther…


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Snek's change of heart came from the track her was given to by Max.

For a strange reason, he couldn't help but wonder what the little device did besides offer the location of the strange cyborgs if they needed help. It was no bigger than a speck in his hands, yet the tip of his claw struck a button. He froze as images began to come from it. Snek could hear his own voice, and then that of a young man followed. "Hey dad!" he would call. "Want to go hunt? I'll help you if you want?"

The image grew into a young teenage man, who looked a lot like him. Not only that, but there were four others. Although serpent like himself, they were his children. "Papa hungry? We help feed Papa!" the smallest of them announced.

"Let's feed Papa something good! He always feeds us something good!" said another.

"Yeah, let's feed papa!" joked the teenage son. "Come on dad, family trip!"

It brought a smile to his lips as he saw the healthy and relatively happy children before him. He never imagined himself as a family man, especially in this world. But, what one of those cyborgs said to him still haunted his thoughts.

"What about your son?"

If this is from a different reality, did that borg mean that he still had a son in this one?

The device suddenly went off. A flashing red light appeared, as did a map. City Z, in the old abandoned section where the Monsters Association existed. Curiosity got the better of Snek, it wasn't like he was doing anything today anyways. With that, he followed the map.

Snek found the Tank Top legion pummeling the ground. "We got movement, down here! Keep going!" They were deep within the earth, Snek could feel the rush of people under ground, they were panicked, worried and scared for what was happening. Yet when they were just before the tank top legions, the migrating people froze. They were getting cut off.

He made his move.

As tank top Black hole tore a hole in. Snek struck!

He wrenched the army out of the hole they made, he was able to crush the legions easily with his serpent body until they no longer functioned. They twitched with little movement, but incapable of fighting let alone standing up again.

It was then he revealed himself. Slithering down the hole the wall gave way, he showed himself to the people, yet the fear on their faces didn't help the matter. He towered over the people, after all, he was more monster than man to them.

Despite saving them, they were still terrified of him. He told them to move on, and yet he waited to see if what was said is true.

Her face suddenly appeared with a young teenage boy. At first he nearly let them get by, yet he paused. 'When am I going to get a chance like this again?' he thought to himself.

He managed to stop Angela in her tracks, but his eyes peered down at the boy… just like in the hologram he saw… this was his son. 'This can be fixed…' he thought once more.

He managed to have a tender moment with Angela before sending her on her way. She nearly didn't until he pleaded. "For the sake of our son."

Her grasp released, she realized that he knew and she understood now. She has to protect their child.

His heart broke as Drax called out for him. "Dad… DAD!" he screamed. But was quickly forced along the path. Snek was relieved when he saw Saitama bringing up the rear along with Genos. No harm will come to his son.

The pathway was a lot narrower than he anticipated. Snek decided to back track and go to the surface to hopefully cut the heroes off from there. He was near the other side of town when he saw Zombieman, smoking and waiting for the fight yet to come. "Want a hand?"

The startled S Class hero turned and yet he froze at the sight of him. Snek towered above Zombieman, his body took up the whole street and yet. Despite what he became, he still sounded like his old self. "Shit man… they did this to you!"

A snort came from Snek. "No, I decided I wanted to get fat! What the hell do you think!"

It brought a small smirk to Zombieman, however, there was something coming. He felt the feet pounding the pavement, the legion of heroes were on their way and they are out for blood. Zombieman stood at the ready, Snek began to see the legions coming. His body puffed up as a warning hiss came out of him. "I hate to do this to them… but there's no other choice…" Snek muttered.

"Trust me, they haven't been heroes for a while. Come on, let's bide those people some time!"

The two charged into the mass of heroes who planned on making their way underground. But first, they had to get through them!

#

"I'm not leaving!" Melee protested.

"Sis, this isn't your fight…"

"Like hell it isn't!" she snapped back. Melee was standing her ground, Garou has been trying to convince her to leave for some time, he wanted her to join the others to the secondary safe zone, but she refused to go. The men were still waiting for their chance to leave, some were worried about the tremors they heard but Knuckle assured them it was dealt with.

"Snek came." He said and smiled. "The old bastard couldn't refuse a good fight!"

Melee paused. "You… saw Snek?" she asked. "Is he okay?"

"Been better, not easy being a snake the size of an apartment building, but he manages somehow. Max and Suiryu too, although Suiryu really needs to get his act together." Said Street.

"**They… came**?" Garou asked.

Street paused as did Knuckle. "Snek is here, the other's I don't know yet, we sent out the signal. Whether or not they came is up to them."

It didn't matter anymore anyways. The underground was starting to rumble once more…

#

Tareo managed to get everyone up to the surface. There was but a small path they had to take, up into the mountains. Yet as soon as they reached the surface, Tareo found himself and the others surrounded.

"Hold it!" called the heroes. "You ain't going nowhere!"

"Heavy Kong, Air, all of you, listen to me! Your work as heroes is a lie!" Tareo announced. "I escaped the safe cities because they were testing on me! LOOK AT ME!" he demanded.

But there wasn't an ounce of concern on their faces. They came to do a job and were going to do it. He didn't want to do this, after all. These men were his heroes as a boy. Now, he is forced to fight them?

"FISTS OF FLOWING WATER!"

SMASH

SMASH!

The legion of heroes were quickly knocked down and rendered unconscious.

However the one responsible startled even Tareo himself, standing among the fallen was Charanko of all people. He appeared older and wiser than he was before. His hair became long and untamed, so was his beard. He wore tattered dojo garments and yet appeared far more humble and observant than before. "Tareo…" he said gently, nearly worthy of his former master Silverfang. "This way,"

It was always the plan. Garou had spent years training Charanko to become good at fists of flowing water, he was relentless with him and refused to go easy. The scars Charanko bore from his intense training were a testament to it all. Since the, he vowed as a token of thanks to assist Garou whenever he needed it. The plan was formed for a second safe zone to take the people from the underground. But this time, it was within the mountain where Bang's Dojo still resides.

The two went on ahead, taking down and any heroes aiming to stop them out. Saitama ensured the safety of the women and children along with Genos, although he didn't want to fight the other heroes either unless absolutely necessary. With the path cleared, Charanko took the led, the stairs that would lead them up the mountain and into the hidden bunker made for such an emergency. Tareo rushed the women and children towards the stairs, he urged Genos to take the lead along with Saitama to ensure everyone gets up the mountain. "I'll take it from here." Charanko called to the two heroes. "Please hurry!"

Tareo nodded. "I got to go back for the others, be safe!"

There came a confident grin on the wiser young man. Saitama himself paused and stared at him oddly. "Whose the strong looking guy?" he asked.

"Master, that is Silverfang's last student. Charanko…" Genos explained.

He paused for a moment and stared. "Huh… doesn't look like him at all."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

The walls trembled.

Everyone stood on edge as they awaited the onslaught about to happen. Melee could feel it in her bones, this task force will be led by Amai Mask, but, she also knows he won't make the first move. As quickly as the rumbling stopped, everything became still and silent.

She tapped the shoulders of Street and Knuckle, giving them a nod. They understood her silent command as they took to the front. She felt it. The wall was bashed in, Zombieman came flying out in pieces, hacked and left to slowly recover from the attack.

It was too fast to be seen, but Melee felt the one responsible was already in the room now!

Garou suddenly vanished, only to slam Flashy Flash into the wall hard! From there he proceeded to beat the hell out of the S Class hero until he went limp and still. His swords shattered for good measures.

First scout down.

Street and Knuckle suddenly charged! Emerging through the wall, armed with every gadget he possessed was Child Emperor and he was about to rain hell upon them all! Melee blinked and missed it, Knuckle went in first, and was quick to disarm and sever the weapons Child Emperor had at the ready. Street then went in and managed to sever his connection core and knock him out with a few movements.

Two.

The ground shook and trembled as it was Metal Knight bringing up the rear! Metal robots began to appear from every which way! They converged down towards them, taking the structure along with them! If this destruction continues they will be buried alive!

Garou grew himself out briefly as he lashed the robots back and away from the people who had yet to leave. They were thrown back a good distance. It bided enough time as Street and Knuckle suddenly trembled!

What were they up to?

Then, a massive electronic wave went through the whole underground!

PULSE

Every robot fell into a scarp heap. Even Garou was stunned, but he stared at the brothers. "_**Who the hell are you again?**_" he asked aloud

"Brawlers…"

Yet the moment was ruined when Melee heard a terrible scream. The brothers paused as they sensed something coming, but the scream… they knew who it belonged to. "SNEK!" shouted Knuckle.

Melee froze stiff as a monster body was thrown into the room.

At least, half of it.

It still twitched and the tail lashed, looking ahead, she covered her mouth as she saw him emerged with the other half of the victim.

Amai Mask!

He stepped over the fallen robots, his foot crushing them as he marched forward. The most heartless of his steps came over that of Child Emperor. One foot and he severed the poor cyborg teen into two without any thought or concern to him. Amai's face instantly soured once he saw Melee standing among them. He was about to speak until Snek attempted to attack him still. Despite the loss of his lower body, he tried to move and claw at Amai's arm to release him. But his arms had been shattered. "You were even mediocre for a monsters!" Amai said with great distain in his voice.

Snek was coughing up blood now.

Street was shaking with rage was were Knuckle. "You want it, it's yours!" Amai said as he carelessly tossed the other half of the former Class A hero at them. Street rushed to his side. "Hang on man, we're going to help you! Just hang on!"

Snek however shook his head to them. "Don't… bother…" he said weakly. His gaze turned to Amai, a small smirk came over him as he said. "I will at least die a hero… unlike you…" his last breath taken, he collapsed and went still.

"Snek… SNEK!" Shouted Knuckle.

Amai brushed his hands of it. "Waste of energy to say the least, what a pathetic excuse of a monster. On well, it will make my story all the more viable. Snek began working with Garou…"

BASH!

Garou struck him before he could finish the sentence.

Amai however appeared to be anticipating the strike and was able to block most of it. Yet he was impressed, despite it being blocked, Garou managed to draw out blood. "You haven't lost a step to say the least…"

Before Garou could continue the assault. Melee stepped forward. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?" she demanded."Why did so many have to die by your hands!" she protested. "Amai… what happened to you?" she asked. "You use to be about peace, love and the protection of the world…"

"I still am!" he shouted back. "You are the one who turned your back on such a thing! Mimi…"

"MELEE!" she snapped back. Yet shook her head to it all.

Amai glared at her. "Fine then, you want to know something? The authority that I answer to… wanted you for testing for such a long time. They wanted the last of the Brawler blood line for their own, and yet I refused them. I had to send others to keep them pacified to their needs. Yet, they still wanted you. I KEPT YOU SAFE!" he stated. "And if you are looking to blame me for what happened to Snek, Max and Suiryu, look no more than in the mirror! They were the last offering I sent to them in place of you!"

Melee felt her heart was ripped out of her chest. The three heroes she had always admired, they became that way because of her?

"Don't listen to him sis, he's full of shit!" protested Knuckle.

"Don't think I forgot about you… Street Brawler, Knuckle Brawler. The most advance form of cyborg this world has ever seen or known… if you had been alive all this time, then tell me. Why didn't you come back for Mimi?" he questioned in a cold, calculating tone. But he smirked as his sights turned to her. "You see, I am not the only one deceiving you here…"

Melee was silent, as much as she wanted to know the truth too, there was something about this that didn't make sense in her mind. Her brothers would have moved heaven and earth to find her if that was the case. But even now, they are acting strangely. She had overheard them before stating none of this should exist and they have to repair the time line somehow…

It only made her wonder what they really know…

"You… are going to pay for what you did to Snek," vowed Knuckle.

"Amusing really, but for now, I will settle for the notion that Garou is here, and his death with come at my hands… after all the incident that has occurred is unforgivable. So many innocent people, losing their lives at the hands of the human monster…" Amai froze. Melee turned and peered out from the corner of her eye. She thought there were still people here in the underground, the men waited for the women and children to be moved safely before being taken out through the passage next.

Yet, all who stood there was Tareo!

Amai sneered as Tareo tripped a rock, forcing the passageway to collapse and bide time. He stood at the ready with swords in hand. "No more…" he warned. "I won't let another innocent life be taken by the likes of you Amai Mask!"

Amai was about to charge when Garou came out of nowhere, striking down Sweet Mask once more. This time it was a solid strike. His strength was beyond what he had before from his Awakened Garou days. In fact, one strike alone caved Amai's face in once more and torqued his head!

He was pissed to say the least but quick recovered. "**_I am more than a match for the likes of you_**!" Garou hissed. "**_How DARE you come into my home, harm my friend… KILL them with your own… HANDS_**"

The more his anger weld up, the more he began to lose himself. "Garou! Calm down! Don't let this get the better of you!" Melee pleaded.

He settled himself, but his glare came to Amai. "**_No forgiveness… No mercy…_**" he warned.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Meanwhile.

"Whoa, since when did a tornado get here?"

Saitama paused as Genos continued to take the led up the stairs towards the mountains, they were just about halfway there when Saitama saw the whirlwind forming in the distance. It wasn't Tatsumaki to say the least, yet he could see someone moving faster and faster within the cyclone. "Oh… it Suiryu… huh… I guess the other heroes called for reinforcements."

"MASTER! WE MUST HURRY!" Genos called.

He was waved off though. "You go on ahead, besides, we only got the women and children out, the men have yet to emurge from the underground. Take care of them Genos"

"YES MASTER!" Genos took charge as he called for everyone to continue following him. Saitama however returned to the streets below as the other heroes arrived. He paused at some of them, they were far different than before. Many of them taken on a mutation of sorts.

"You guys don't look so well… Forte, is that you? Are those speakers implanted in your chest?"

"It's the Caped Baldy! Amai said he is not to get pass us!" Forte called aloud.

Saitama continued to stare. Forte had speakers coming out of his chest and shoulders, Green has become far more plant than man now, Feather has retractable claws still yet they have been implanted into his body. Others appear to have gone cyborg more than anything else. "You guys really don't look like yourselves, you sure you made the right call staying on as heroes?"

"You will pay for that Baldy!" shouted Gearsper.

Yet before any of them could make a move, lighting crashed to the ground! Those forged of metal were shorted out, the others were caught in the current and passed out. Lightning Max dropped out of the sky and stared down the fallen. "You could have at least try and reason with them…" Saitama said with a sigh, but then again, he probably would have ended up punching them anyways.

Max suddenly turned towards the passage, the men were just emerging from the depths of the underground yet froze at the sight of Lightning Max before them. His monster form terrified them, yet, a young man looked to him oddly and then to the heroes out cold on the ground. "He beat me to it." Saitama announced. "You guys want to go up the stairs, Genos is at the top waiting for you. Max, can you keep them safe?"

He smiled and nodded. "Of course, I'm a hero" he replied.

Saitama then turned to the underground. "I'm going back in, Garou should be the one to have all the fun."

#

BASH

SMASH

They were throwing each other around like it was nothing. Garou was stronger no doubt, and yet somehow, Amai Mask was able to keep up and take the hits. Zombieman kept himself at a distance incase he would be needed, yet, even he could barely keep track of what was going on. One moment, Garou is in the ground, the next, Amai was taken to the wall. Back and forth they were constantly going, yet it was clear in his mind too.

Amai was experimented on by the government.

It was the whole reason why he was willing to send people to the so called 'safe cities'. It was his end of the deal in order to keep himself a cut above the rest of the heroes.

He should have known, and yet, here they are.

Melee was kept to the back with Street and Knuckle; they were determined to keep her safe. Tareo was at the ready by the former entrance of the tunnel, ensuring Amai doesn't try anything to get to the people they were keeping safe from his clutches.

The two broke apart after their bout, both panting and bleeding, yet Amai smirked. "Did you know… thanks to you… I got stronger?" he asked with a grin on his lip. "Your little… monster costume… really did the trick you know…"

"**_Shut up_**" Garou hissed. "**_It doesn't matter… if you got stronger… I will always be stronger than you!_**"

There was a sick grin on the face of Amai Mask. "Really? But I already know your weakness." He moved too fast to be seen at that point, he gave no sign either that he was going to strike, and yet, somehow Amai was able to. Zombieman suddenly realized, he was aiming for Tareo!

"KID!" Zombieman yelled aloud.

The sound of flesh being torn echoed the underground, bone severing and blood splattering against the walls followed until only the dripping of blood could be heard…

The room froze.

Amai managed to land a strike, yet, his hand went through the wrong person…


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The blood still warm and slick, he had yet to retract his hand but he froze at the sight. Tareo was on the ground, shoved away last minute from a deathblow, yet the one who took it was the last person he would have suspected.

"Mimi… why…"

His hand had gone straight through her. The blood began to bubble out pass her lips as she began to regurgitate it. Slowly, he took his hand out of her. Yet she remained standing.

"**_NNNNNOOOO!_**" Shouted Garou. "**_NO! YOU SON OF A BITCH, YOU… YOU…. AAAAAHHHHHHH!_**" Garou began to lose his focus, his body started to swell once more but he tried to ignore it, he made a mad dash for Melee. Shoved Amai hard out of the way before falling to his knees, she just collapsed into his arms. "_**No… please... hold on… please!**_" he begged of her.

But there was a smile on her face. "A hero…" she whispered. "I got to see a true hero…" her hand reached up to caress the side of his face. "Garou…"

"Oh… so sad, too bad, fortunately, I already placed her…"

SMASH!

Amai head went into the wall, he found himself trapped in a vice like grip and couldn't break free. Despite summoning all his strength he kicked, and punched with his free arm as much as he could, but, the grasp refused to release. Knuckle wasn't about to let him go. His eyes changed from a bright orange to a crimson red.

"Rage mode… Activated… target… locked… punishment… imminent…"

"Let me go! You're a Brawler, your sister didn't have to interfere with this battle! She brought it upon herself!" he protested, but the vice already grew tighter. Knuckle's hand was massive to being with, it completely enveloped the side of Amai's head and the grip only grew tighter!

"Brother! I am going to try and save her!" Street called.

But he said nothing more. The fingers began to twitch, Amai felt his skin breaking under the strain, his skull feeling the pressure. "Knuckle… stop, you don't kill! Brawlers only kill monsters, I know for a fact they only kill monsters!" he pleaded.

A small smirk came over Knuckle. "Yeah… they do…"

#

Street looked over his sister, the damage would be beyond the human limit of enduring, yet somehow she's alive. Barely breathing, but she is alive. "**_Wha… what can I do? Please tell me there's something I can do_**!" Garou pleaded. "**_Please… I saw the pictures… you said we have a family… Please!_**" he begged.

Street froze, he saw the hologram he showed Tareo?

It didn't matter now, his scanners were trying to indicate what he could do, how to save her but it was taking too much time.

"Turn her" came the voice of Zombieman.

"What?" Street asked.

"Garou… turn her. You ate Orochi right? You can make monster cells? Knowing you, you are capable of making one custom. Make one that will heal her wounds."

"**_But… then she becomes a monster… I can't…"_** Suddenly, he felt a small squeeze in his hand, what little strength she had left, Melee made it known, she forced a small nod to him as he nodded back. Garou then stepped back as he placed his hand over his core, his body shuttered, moaned and ached. It was painful for him to create such a thing, but he endured it. "**_AAAHHHH!"_** he screamed aloud until his chest opened and a single pulsing cell fell from it and into his hands. It was small, but manageable. Returning to her side he gently placed the cell into her mouth, his hand massaged her jaw and helped her cox down the cell.

She went still.

Street kept a close eye on her until.

CRACK.

The room filled with the sound of bone bursting, at first he thought it was Melee's body. But there was no change.

"Holy shit…" Zombieman whispered.

Every head turned and saw a headless Amai Mask, and a bloodied Knuckle with his hands clasped together, dripping in gore.

"Brother…" Street whispered.

The crimson look in his eyes vanished, he came back to his senses but saw what he did. He bared no look of regret, instead he brushed off the gore like dusts before coming to their side.

Melee began to convulse. She continued to vomit blood, but her bones began to snap back into place, her organs recovered and rearranged within her body until they were like new once more. "It's working…" Street said.

Her lower body severed itself… but then started to alter.

Melee's eyes shot open, her heart began to race in her chest as her flesh tore. Sharp scales began to break free. Dragon like beasts began to burst from her back as her lower body reformed but didn't grow legs, but turned into a serpent tail. Snek's blood was still on Amai's hands, perhaps that is what turned her lower body serpent. Street was stunned to this transformation, and yet she continued to grow bigger, stronger! Her eyes changed to that of a serpent, her sights first set on Tareo until she tried to shake her head clear. Hissing following and painful roars as she grasped the side of her head.

"Hold on sis, hold on!" Street called. In his files he knows he has Alley's cure. He had to get it into her fast! Yet before he could, she stopped growing. She was far bigger than before, more monster than Melee, yet, she appeared to be in control. "Sis?" Street asked gently.

She backed away frightened to him, taking in the world around her, she was startled by the fallen body of Snek, and feared she was next. She saw Zombieman and hissed at him. "Sis…" Knuckle whispered.

It was then Garou stepped forward. He grew himself just large enough to stand as her equal, yet he didn't appear threatening to her. A forked tongue whisked through her lips as she picked up his scent.

Did she know he saved her?

She was reluctant at first, she stared at her hands and then her body in disbelief. But Garou said nothing. "**Why**?" she managed to say in a deeper and more monster like voice. "**Why… did you want to save me so badly?**"

Garou forced a grin. "**_I saw a world… where we were happy_**." He said gently. "**_This may not be that world… but… I'll be happy… if you stay_**."

Melee froze. "**Even like this**?"

He snickered. "**_Hell yeah_**"

She slowly approached him. Her hands gently cupped the side of his face as she went in for a kiss. Yet before that happened, the wall blew out!

She backed into a corner as Saitama arrived!

"Did I miss anything?" he asked.

"Goddamn it man, you ruined the mood!" protested Zombieman. He approached him fearlessly, and started to shove him back out the way he came in. "Kid, let's go." He called to Tareo.

Tareo was still in shock to what happened, he could barely nod his head as he followed Zombieman out. Knuckle followed suit, but Street remained just long enough to see Melee slip her hand besides Garou's face once more and went in for the kiss…

#

They managed to reach the surface world once more. Suiryu, Lightning Max and Stinger were there, they survived their fight. All around them, the heroes had fallen, some even surrendered to Charanko of all people! Yet the people were up on the mountain safe and sound according to Street's scanner. "What now?" Knuckle asked?

Street shook his head. He thought the timeline would have corrected itself, but perhaps this was too long of a shot to take.

"**_We… go forward_**" came the voice of the human monster. "_**But we can't do this alone, will you help**_?"

Lightning Max smirked. "Hell yeah!" he said. Stinger nodded in agreement too.

Suiryu appeared rather hesitant at first, but then smirked. "I've been looking for a good fight, this... maybe fun."

Garou looked about and took in the world, the sight brought a sneer to his lip but he turned to Street and Knuckle. "**_No more hiding… we go forward, end this_**…" he said with great determination.

Melee came and stood at his side. "**We go forward together**!" she said defiantly, but then turned to her brothers. "**Are you… disappointed in me?**" she asked. "**I've become**…"

"You've become a strong woman." Knuckle said without hesitation. He turned his sights to Garou. "You treat her good, you hear me!" he warned.

Garou's chest puffed out proudly as he gave a nod. "**_No one… will harm her again…" _**he promised.

He smiled, just as Saitama began to appear as if he were quivering. "Saitama, you okay?" Knuckle asked.

Then, his vision began to blur.

_Timeline corrective action taken, will revert back to original line…_


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

They woke back where they were before the whole thing happened.

Street and Knuckle stood a few blocks away from Bad's house. The world was at it should be, yet, Street paused as he turned to his brother, who stared at his hands. "You really did it, didn't you?" he asked.

Knuckle nodded. "Yeah," he said meekly. But then clenched his fists. "But that bastard had it coming in that time line!"

"Speaking of which, we pinpointed where the whole damn thing happened?"

"City A, subbasement."

"Looks like we're going to City A."

#

Dr. Fink just finished the last touches for his time reversal machine. However, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of dejavu to the whole thing. Still, it wouldn't stop his progress. "With this final piece, I can turn back time and bring my dear friend back! Hold on Bofoi, I am coming!"

Yet as he was about to put in the final piece, the lights were cut off. The Doc froze as he looked about. "Impossible, my lights run on the alien technology, the unlimited power supply!" he protested.

When they came on again, two brutes confronted him! "Hey doc!"

"Nice to meet you, and sorry to say, your little test is over."

The old man trembled as he stared down these monsters, yet he knew them. "You… you are the alien cyborgs!" he said. "You… you came to me? Why… why are you coming to me!"

"Your little test here… we can't let it happen. You see, we went through hell trying to fix it the first time you did it, we ain't going through that again!"

"So sorry to say doctor…" One of them somehow retracted his flesh on his arms. He gasped at the exposed metal but froze the moment it touched his device. It appeared he was melting his creation with his hand, yet he was absorbing it as well!

"NO! NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, I WANT TO SAVE MY FRIEND!" he protested.

"Yeah, and we want to save our family. The needs of the many outweigh the few. Besides, you never took into factor the flux in the timeline. You get your friend back, but destroy the world at the same time."

The doctor trembled as the one lone cyborg began to devour his marvelous machine. The one he spent years on, reduced to melted metal and absorbed by the demonic creature. The other merely kept watch, the two long bangs before his face came down over his eyes slightly, he stared at him with anger and bitterness to an even the doctor himself had yet to achieve.

With the machine gone, the two then stared down the old man. "Wh… What are you going to do to me?" he asked trembling.

"Nothing." Said the one with the odd bangs. "We have prevented the event from happening, so, there's nothing more to do. HOWEVER" he said in a warning voice. "You DARE make another thing like that again… I will kill you"

"Brother!"

"He needs to know the truth. He took away EVERYTHING we held dear in this world, I'll be damned to lose it again!"

Despite his outburst, the brother nodded his head in agreement. "That is true…" he said with a sigh. His sights turned to the feeble old man. "You heard that loud and clear, got it? You will join your friend a lot sooner than later if you dare try this again. I'm sorry for your loss,"

The two were about to leave until Dr. Fink shouted. "GAROU KILLED HIM!" he protested. "HE KILLED MY FRIEND, AND YET WON'T BE PUNISHED FOR IT!"

The two paused. "Yeah… but your friend also nearly killed three innocent lives for the sake of his work. Is that fair?" the one with the bangs asked.

"They are monsters…"

"They are our family," said the other. "You have that one warning, I suggest you do not push it with us."

He watched on as the two cyborgs walked out without incident. His life's work consumed in mere minutes, Dr. Fink however won't take it lying down. "Garou… must pay the price, for the sake of Bofoi!"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Shortly after the incident in City A, the Brawler brothers made a mad dash back to the Dragon's keep. Knuckle pretty much kicked in the door as he always done, but froze at the sight. The house was just getting ready for bed. Garou froze as he stared at the two. "What the hell is your problem!?" he demanded.

"Baby bro…" Knuckle whispered, he couldn't stop himself as he grabbed Garou and pulled him into his arms. "Swear at me, say something only you would say…"

"Get the hell off me!"

Knuckle smiled. "Yeah, it's him…" he said in a loving tone.

Garou managed to pry himself out of his arms. "What the hell is with you? You were here a few hours ago!" he demanded.

"Street, Knuckle?"

The brothers froze as they heard the sweet voice of their sister coming from her bedroom. She emerged wearing a nightgown however appeared very confused. "Is everything okay?"

"Are the kids?" Street asked, but then paused. "Are the kids all here?"

Garou was appearing a little worried now. "You were here FOUR DAMN HOURS AGO!" he protested. "The kids are here but Pac whose off to find himself, remember? I thought you were cyborgs…"

"Hey, care to keep it down, my kids are trying to sleep!" Snek said in a sharp whisper.

But then, he was caught up in Knuckle's arms. "Snek… it's really you… thank GOD it's you!" Knuckle whispered.

"Uh… huh… You feeling okay?" Snek asked as he began to look worried as Knuckle pulled away.

There were actual tears coming out of his eyes, "Never better man, never better… don't ever change." Knuckle said as he cleared away his tears and patted Snek's shoulder. With a deep breath he let out a sigh. "Okay… I'm good…" he announced.

"Uh… you sure about that?" Garou asked.

Knuckle turned and found Street was bracing onto Melee with all his might, nearly refusing to let her go. "Street, Knuckle, what is with you?" she demanded. "Don't get me wrong, I love you guys, but you are acting as if you hadn't seen us in years or something happened!"

Street pulled away, Knuckle let out a sigh as he cleared the tears once more. "Well… we will tell you another time… for now… sleep tight… good to know everyone is okay…" Street released his sister, the brothers took their leave yet let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God…" Knuckle sighed.

"Yeah…" said Street.

#

Weeks came and went. Knuckle kept to himself, and yet, the events that transpired began to take hold of his mind. He actually did it.

"Street…" he said.

The two were in the apartment, Street was making lunch as Knuckle was contemplating his actions. "Yeah?"

"Did… I do the right thing back then?" he asked. His voice trembled a little as the thought and images haunted him still. How he held Amai's head in between his hands, and without hesitation, he crushed it in his grasp. At the time, he didn't regret it actions, but now, since things are back to normal, it haunted him. But then, he remembered how he acted when he saw Snek again. The moment his eyes came upon the former A Class her, he embraced him so tightly it startled the room.

Street set down lunch for the two of them as he nudged his head. Knuckle slowly rose up and approached the table. Yet as he sat down, he heard Street say. "Had you not gotten to him first, I would have done the same."

He froze to his words. Street began to eat as he looked Knuckle dead in the eyes, he was serious too. "But, was it right of me?" he asked.

"You heard Amai, we only kill monsters. What kind of person kills others for the sake of looking good? He took out Metal Bat, and God knows how many others. He scarified people for his own vanity to become strong enough to go against Garou. That Amai was a piece of shit."

Knuckle smirked and nodded in agreement. He began to eat his lunch without worry once more. He turned the TV on and found they were airing commercials for Amai's latest movie. Drax was his costar! "No shit, look at this!"

Street looked and smirked. "I figured as much. I think the Neo Heroes are keeping Drax on the shelf for now until Metal Bat returns. They fear Bang may taint the young hero's state of mind of what it means to be a Neo Hero!"

The two snickered at the thought of it all.

They finished lunch and decided to check in at the association. Everyone was abuzz upon arrival. There were some monster attacks, but were quickly struck down. However in the front of the entrance, heroes gathered as Amai had Drax under his arm proudly proclaiming their movie will be the best there is! It opened merely two weeks ago and it broke the box office records for highest grossing action movie. "WE ARE DOING A SEQUAL!" Amai announced proudly.

The heroes groaned, as they were quickly to depart. Amai on the other hand was so proud of Drax. "You excited? Did you have fun making this with me?"

Drax smirked. "I'll admit, it was fun," he said. "Yet they want to do a sequel already!?"

"Highest grossing action movie…" Amai said slowly. "You damn right they are going to want a sequel!"

Drax rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement to it all. He decided to go check on his father as Amai turned to the Brawlers. "Oh look, our favorite cyborgs have arrived!"

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Knuckle muttered.

Amai however appeared rather playful today. "Hard to believe it's been a few years since I have sought to end Garou's life, remarkable isn't it?"

"Why are you reminiscing about that now?" asked Street.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, truth be told, a part of me still wants that to happen…"

SLAM

Knuckle's arm came just before Amai's face, yet he merely leaned in and whispered. "Be careful with your thoughts Sweet, I've killed you once before… don't make me do it again"

Slowly, he brought his arm off the wall, yet his hand print was embedded into the metal.

Amai Mask never felt fear such as that before, the tone Knuckle spoke to him just now, hit him in his core…

#

"It's perfected."

106 had gone over every test, every possible flaw and situation in his mind, yet the vial in his hands has reached utter perfection in his mind. "I will finally gain what I want… after all those trials and errors!" he announced with great satisfaction. "New test subject with the perfect genetic material!"

"Master?" came the voice of one of his underlings. "We have confirmed, no change has taken place." He said.

"Very good." He announced.

"Oh… massster!"

106 sighed aloud as he heard her voice, the clone he has been saving began to approach him wearing only a bathrobe. "Tell me it's time… Am I not at the peek of perfections?" she questioned and dropped the robe. She stood there naked before him, proudly flaunting her features. She has reached maturity and would soon be able to complete the task he has for her.

"Indeed, cover yourself up this instant! You know what will happen if you accidently make skin contact with another!" he protested.

She smirked and was quick to dress herself up again. "But is it time?" she asked. "PPPLLLEEEAASSEEE tell me it's time!" she begged in a groaning tone.

He sighed aloud. "Indeed it is, quit pestering me! My God child, good things come to those who wait"

She gave but a smile and walked back to her chamber. "I must admit this one does have a strong flaw, perhaps that is my own doing, I did make this one particularly sexually active…"

"At least she won't refuse him, unlike the real one." His underling muttered.

"Indeed. Prepare the chamber, have everything ready and the moment we know for certain, ensure all hands are on deck and at the ready for the call. I refuse to wait any longer!"

His underling nodded and quickly rushed off.

106's smile only grew. "It won't be long now will it…"


End file.
